Dim Sum Warms My Heart

Shannon Ma, Runner Up
3rd Grade
Sunnyvale

Have you ever spent a relaxing morning or afternoon in a dim sum restaurant? Sipping chrysanthemum tea and enjoying tasty shrimp dumplings? I love dim sum! Thinking of dim sum makes my stomach grumble and I want to go eat dim sum right away.

Dim sum is so unique because there are many varieties of special Chinese dishes, served in small portions for all to share. The best part is that I don’t have to order from the menu because carts full of cooked, ready to eat dishes will be pushed right to my table. I can pick whatever I like from the cart. I always feel like I am a queen during a dim sum meal.

Dim sum is so tasty and delicious. One of my favorite dishes is Lo Mai Gai, which is steamed sticky rice and chicken wrapped in a piece of lotus leaf. The chicken, egg yolk, crispy water chestnut, and mushrooms are blended perfectly with the flavor of the rice and lotus. It is warm, soft, and so yummy. I can smell the fresh morning dews when having this dish.

Dim sum dishes look like artwork to me. They have all kinds of colors, such as yellow egg tarts with a golden crust, green Chinese broccoli, and rice balls like big, round pearls. These foods are arranged neatly to look like nature. For example, the steamed shrimp over the Tofu makes a daisy flower with thick petals and many layers. Some steamed dumplings have a delicate, transparent, and thin layer to see the brown meat and dark, green veggies inside, which looks like a piece of jade. The sesame balls look as if it were golden Christmas ornaments with small poke-a-dots. I admire dim sum chefs. They are true artists to create these beautiful foods!

When I got to know that the literal meaning of dim sum is “touch the heart,” I couldn’t believe it! It is exactly how I feel when I have dim sum! I always feel warm in the dim sum restaurants; not only because of the warm steam from small round bamboo containers, but also the warm atmosphere I can feel. People are sharing food, talking, and smiling. I often see a whole family with a few generations around the big table, from grandparent to newborn babies.

I have always thought that the main thing about dim sum is to share. Dim sum is not only a meal for me, but also a golden time shared with my family. When having dim sum, I love to share what happened at school with my parents. We laugh about Dad’s jokes and my 2-year-old sister’s bubbling. Everyone is happier and more relaxed than ever.

Dim sum gives me precious memories and warms my heart when I think of it. I cannot wait for my next dim sum meal with my family!