Turning Dim Sum into an art form

A vibrant spread of bamboo basket dim sum, served with dipping sauces and colourful garnishes

Dumplings have travelled a long way from their early roots in Chinese culinary history. Jiaozi, one of China’s best-known dumplings, is believed to date back nearly 2,000 years, while the wider dim sum tradition evolved around teahouses and the Cantonese practice of yum cha — combining tea, small bites and conversation. Over centuries, these delicate parcels became associated with family, celebration and togetherness.

As National Dumpling Day celebrates this much-loved food on September 26, its appeal lies in how easily tradition adapts to new tastes. At OKO, The LaLiT New Delhi, dim sum is treated as a ritual of sharing. The restaurant’s Dumpling Diaries menu draws on Hong Kong’s yum cha culture, inviting diners to slow down, share plates and linger over bamboo baskets. The menu spans familiar and adventurous flavours. On the non-vegetarian side, Xian Xia Jiu Cai Jiao — plump shrimp and chive dumplings — sit alongside the more unusual Xiangjiao Juan He Ta, river sole marinated in black bean sauce and wrapped in banana leaf.

Purists will gravitate toward the Xiao Long Bao, a Shanghai-style soup dumpling filled with chicken broth that bursts on the first bite, while the Yangrou Kao Baozi offers something heartier: a pillowy, open-faced bao stuffed with cumin-spiced lamb.

The Curry Pork Dumpling, doused in a rich, creamy Thai Bangkok curry sauce, is the most indulgent of the lot-an unapologetic fusion of Cantonese technique and Southeast Asian flavour.

Vegetarians are just as well looked after. The Luson Koumo Jiao pairs asparagus with button mushroom for a clean, earthy bite, and the Su Ji Jiao-a plant-based soya bean dumpling served with the same Thai curry dip-proves that vegan dim sum needn’t feel like a compromise.

The Kao Baozi arrives filled with tempura enoki mushroom and a slick of spicy mayo, while the Si Xi Su Jiao channels a Cantonese four-season medley of vegetables. For something with more bite, the Doumiao Mati Jiao brings Szechuan-spiced water chestnut and snow peas together in a satisfying crunch.

Executive Sous Chef Manish Prasad sums up the philosophy behind the menu: dim sum, he says, is rooted in craftsmanship, balance and the joy of sharing-and Dumpling Diaries was built to honour that tradition while layering in contemporary flavour and presentation.