Master Class on Dim Sum

I know Rushina M Ghildiyal for quite some years now. She is gentle, friendly and very inspiring cook. Food is always on her mind. She is always on look out for new recipes and new restaurants and is the main person in bringing all the food bloggers together. I remember some years ago, I had met her at a supermarket and she excitingly told me about the food studio that she was furnishing. There was glitter in her eyes when she talked about her new venture of having a cook studio of her own, where there would be workshops and product launch of food and recipes., where new dishes would be tried out, where new recipes would pop out.

That was long time ago. This month Rushina celebrates five years of her APB Cook Studio. How time flies! But like always, she celebrates with a style while whole food industry watches her moves. There were great many events organised at her cook studio to celebrate her five years of success. Last Sunday I was invited for hands-on Dim sum workshop .

Chef Cham of the Emperor’s court restaurant of Renaissance Hotel and Convention centre was to host the fabulous Dim Sum Class.

When I reached her APB Cook Studio, there was lot of activity and preparations. All the vegetables, meat and sea food (that would be used for filling) were being finely chopped. Chopping is lot of work (mind you)

After a short introduction, the class began with making of the dough for 'yeast based Bao'.

300gms of refined flour was sieved into mixing bowl,

30gms sugar, and salt was added to the flour

8.5gms of dry yeast was mixed with warm water and left to activate. Once there was froth, he added to the flour mixture, 120ml of water was added to make a smooth dough, kneading it for more than 10 minutes till it became very soft and smooth. It was covered and kept in the warm place for 45 minutes till it became double the size.

After an hour, the dough was divided into 12 equal balls. They were rolled into thick circles. A spoonful of the filling was placed into circle and by bringing ends together, the filling was sealed inside the dough. They were then kept on a greasy plate and left it for another 30 minutes. Once it had risen, it was transferred into the top half of a steamer with boiling water and cooked for 25 minutes till tender.

Chicken filling for Boa was already prepared. but chef did make vegetarian filling for boa during the session.

In a large pot, water was boiled and chopped carrots and pakchoy was blanched, removed from water with a strainer and kept aside..

20gms of finely chopped garlic was fried till light brown. He added 40gms of Hoisin sauce, 1tsp of chili bean sauce, 1tsp of honey and mixed it well. Then he added the finely chopped vegetables that included Chinese cabbage, Pakchoy, yellow and green Zucchini, carrots and water chestnuts. Seasoning like five spice powder, and vegetable aromatic powder was added, 2tbsp of corn starch was added to bind the mixture. Finely chopped spring onions and few drops of truffle oil was added. This filling was then used for filling the Boa.

I tried making flour based gyoza

It was simple really. 

Just mix 250gms refined flour and salt and knead it with plain water. The trick is to knead the dough well, making it smooth and soft. Cover it with cloth and set aside. Rolling the circle with the normal rolling pin (that tapers on both sides) might not be apt. a pipe or a bamboo roller pin of equal diameter would be better. You have to flatten the ball and roll it with the pipe in such a way that ends become thinner while the centre is thicker for holding the filling. Only thumb and one finger is used for binding the edges to seal the ends. You can be creative and shape it artistically too.

 The toughest was to work with starch based crystal dough.

Remember the transparent dim sums that we get in the restaurants? I think these are the tastiest of all but toughest to make, because the dough is so rubbery that it was shaped not with rolling pin, but pressed under broad blade knife. Even making the dough is tricky.

Set a pot of water on high flame and let it come to a rolling boil. Sieve 160gms of potato starch and 200gms of wheat starch. Add one ladle of cold water to the bowl and stir till starch dissolves. Then add one ladle of hot water to the bowl and stir till it becomes a smooth, medium soft dough. Transfer the dough on a clean flat surface and knead it with little potato starch and oil, till it is very smooth. (knead at least for ten minutes) cover and set it aside.

Enjoyed making the dim sum and eating it of course. 

The dip was delicious too

We can make it by blanching 2 tomatoes in a pot of boiling water till skin begins to peel off. Take it out from water and peel off the skin and place in mixer grinder. Add 2red chilies, 6garlic cloves(peeled) 1/4tsp black peppercorn crushed and salt to taste.

Grind to a smooth paste and enjoy with dim sum

It was a fun afternoon. Came back with food hamper of goodies from Nordic Kandie, Bonne Maman and Kolln.