Learning the art of making dim sum from master chef Jereme Leung
Who doesn’t love dim sum and dumplings? Anyone who has enjoyed the pleasures of yum cha has wondered what it would be like to create these treats at home.
The answer, surprisingly, is that most are quite simple to make from the wrapper to the fillings. Of course, it helps when you learn it from a master. Make that master chef Jereme Leung of China Blue.
Dim sum-making 101
After two years, the master chef was back in Manila to conduct a master class (on dim sum-making) with select members of the media.
We were led to the back kitchen, where chef Leung and China Blue executive Chinese chef Eng Yew Khor were doing prep work. While the formidable tandem did much of the dirty work, chef Leung shared tips on how to prepare the shrimp paste for the dumpling, and how to determine if the fried dumplings are already cooked.
It was my second time to attend his master class. The first one was in April 2018 when he launched China Blue’s summer menu. But I still remember the tips he shared on how to prepare the dough like the back of my hands.
When romancing the dough, he advised us to ditch the gloves. “It’s best to use your bare hands so you can actually feel the temperature and texture of the dough,” he explained. “If the dough sticks to your hands, that means it’s dry. So put a little hot water or a bit of flour into the mixture.”
On proper knife handling, chef Leung reiterated that the proper grip gives you maximum control over the knife.
“Grasping the blade with the thumb and forefinger gives you the greatest control,” he said. Not only does it increase your cutting accuracy and control over the knife, the “pinch grip” also prevents it from slipping and thus lessens the chance of an accident.
This time, chef Leung taught us how to devein the shrimp and how to prepare the shrimp paste in a way that the ingredient doesn’t lose its texture and bite. It’s something you can’t achieve when using a food processor.
“First, peel the shrimp. Devein the back of the shrimp with a toothpick or a skewer,” he shared. “Insert the tip of the toothpick sideways and slowly pull the vein.”
Once the shrimps are cleaned, lay them on the chopping board. Using a heavy knife, smash the shrimps and drag the knife over the meat.
“It becomes a paste after. And that’s when I will simply chop the shrimp,” explained chef Leung. “You then season it with salt, a bit of sugar, pepper, potato starch and sesame oil.”
In a big bowl, mix all the ingredients then form the mixture into a ball, hold it, and smash it in the bowl with all your might.
“In doing so, you get to bind the protein together,” he added. “You can then wrap the mixture in the wrapper and fry the dumplings in a large wok. Once the dumplings float, then it’s ready.”
A regal curation of modern Chinese cuisine
After the class, we hungrily went back to the dining room — with a spectacular view of Manila Bay — to sample our creations, plus China Blue’s “Majestic Harvest.”
A renowned artisan of all four cornerstones of Chinese cuisine — dim sum, Chinese barbecue, knife work, and wok-cooking — chef Leung showcased an array of culinary supremacy achieved through years of experience and journeying through China’s different regions.
We were treated to a six-course set menu for a limited run only.
For starters, chef Leung prepped our palate with pork and shrimp dumpling (using coconut stock) soup with dried scallops.
That was followed by stir-fried fresh abalone with
teohchew sauce, wok-fried lobster with Mongolian creamy pepper sauce and rice pop, pan-fried beef tenderloin with preserved radish, and braised white misua, sea clam onion ginger sauce with shrimp roe.
The Hong Kong-born Leung’s ever-evolving taste continues to revolutionize Manila’s diverse and rich food culture with this regal curation of modern Chinese cuisine.
Those who didn’t have the chance to sample the Majestic Harvest need not fret, as some of the dishes in the six-course menu will be part of China Blue by Jereme Leung’s menu.
Conrad Manila observes stringent health and safety measures in line with local government guidelines and Hilton’s own CleanStay initiative and holds the Department of Tourism “Safety Seal.”
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China Blue by Jereme Leung is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner.
For reservations, call 8833-9999, email conradmanila@conradhotels.com or visit www.conradmanila.com.
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