Hutong is adding a northern accent to the popular southern Chinese tradition of dim sum. Hutong’s team of chefs from the restaurant’s several outlets around the world have created a whole series of innovative new dim sum dishes which reinvent Hutong’s most popular and occasionally fiery Northern Chinese dishes into a new dim sum format – Northern Dim Sum, a first for Chinese cuisine.
Dim Sum’s origin can be traced back over 1,000 years to the Song Dynasty when Silk Road traders would have small snacks with tea along their travels, but this really solidified as a tradition in Guangdong in south China in the 19th century, which gave rise to the modern culture of dim sum. Now this tradition is being reinvented using northern Chinese flavours and textures.
The innovative Bei Fang Dim Sum Series introduces eight northern-style dim sum items which have been created by the global team of chefs across all locations – Hong Kong, London, New York, Miami and Dubai. Eight because it is always considered a lucky number in Chinese, as the word for eight sounds like the word for prosperity. It will debut on 8 October 2024 at all outlets simultaneously – the first time that all the global outlets of Hutong have co-created and simultaneously introduced a new menu.
They can be ordered and enjoyed individually, or as one highly instagrammable tasting platter with a special surprise presentation. They can also be ordered either for lunch as is traditional, or in the evening.
Led by Leung Kwok-Wah, Group Executive Dim Sum Chef, Aqua Restaurant Group and Lo Wai Kin, Dim Sum Head Chef, Hutong Hong Kong, Hutong’s chefs have taken the restaurant’s signature dishes from across its many locations and, using the basic concepts and craftsmanship of traditional Cantonese dim sum, are presenting a series of unique and delicious morsels that capture the diverse flavours and culinary ethos of the occasionally fiery northern Chinese cuisine which has made Hutong so popular.
Chef Leung’s unique concept for Hutong’s dim sum creations “re-imagines popular northern dishes as dim sum items, retaining the essence of the dish and perfecting it with subtle enhancements, so that regardless of whether they are originally from the south or the north, all dishes are created consistently to belong to the same culinary lineage.”
Highlights include the Pan-fried Lamb Bamboo Charcoal Bao and the Shredded Duck & Foie Gras Spring Roll from Hutong Hong Kong. A classic from the region of Xinjiang, the combination of cumin and lamb has been made popular by Hutong’s signature Crispy Deboned Lamb Ribs, which has remained one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes for 20 years. This dim sum uses the same lamb and cumin combination recreated as a dim sum with a Shanghai-style pan-fried bun coloured black with nutrient-rich bamboo charcoal powder as its foundation. Filled with cumin-spiced lamb, sprinkled with sesame seeds and fried until the bottom is sweet and crispy, this bold and aromatic dim sum is sure to satisfy with every bite.
When it comes to signature dishes from Hutong Hong Kong, the Flaming Peking Duck reigns as one of the most popular offerings. The dish is reimagined as the Shredded Duck & Foie Gras Spring Roll, which features a filling made with tender roasted duck meat, crispy skin, shredded onions and a secret house seasoning. Deep-fried until golden and crispy, the spring roll is served with Hutong’s exclusive homemade duck sauce and delivers all the complex flavours of Peking duck in a delicious bite-size form.
Another highlight is the Poached Chicken & Black Garlic Spicy Wonton. This dim sum is inspired by the famous spicy wontons from Sichuan, the home province of Hutong Dubai Head Chef Ren Dingxu. Using innovative cooking techniques to preserve and enhance this beloved regional speciality, Chef Ren adds homemade black garlic that has been fermented for 21 days to the filling and serves the dumplings with a smoky chilli oil made with Shandong peppers as well as other seasonings and garnishes that represent the tantalisingly diverse characteristics of Sichuan cuisine.
Also from Hutong Dubai is the Crispy Bean-curd Roll with Agaricus Blazei & Wild Mushrooms, based on Hangzhou’s renowned deep-fried tofu rolls. To make this intricate dim sum, sweet carrots and a variety of mushrooms, including agaricus blazei – also known as almond mushrooms – crispy king oyster mushrooms and mellow shiitakes, are wrapped in fresh yuba sheets and are deep-fried until they are crisp and golden-brown on the outside. With its rich and earthy flavours and aromas, this meticulously crafted dim sum is sure to delight both vegetarians and meat-eaters.
Moving onto Hutong London, Chef Fei’s Crispy Crab Roe and Caviar Dumpling takes the essence of stir-fried crab roe, a representative dish of Huaiyang cuisine – also known as one of the four great culinary traditions of China – and turns it into a filling for Cantonese-style deep-fried glutinous rice dumplings. Plumped with an indulgent combination of fresh crab roe and basil, the dumplings are deep-fried to order until they are crisp on the outside but still fluffy and soft on the inside. Not only does the basil enhance the freshness of the crab roe, but its herbal and vibrant profile also cuts through the richness of this deep-fried snack. As a lavish finishing touch, the dumplings are garnished with caviar, which also elevates its fresh oceanic flavours. Shaped like a mini kumquat, this innovative morsel looks as good as it tastes.
The Wagyu Beef & Black Truffle Siu Mai is a variation of a popular recipe from Hutong London. This dim sum item is inspired by the widely known dish of stir-fried beef with scallions The siu mai uses tender wagyu and spring onions as the main base for its filling. The addition of black truffles imparts a unique aroma, while a final garnish of green onions sautéed in Hutong’s homemade green Sichuan peppercorn oil and chilli oil add a tantalising depth and richness.
Following his dim sum philosophy of retaining a dish’s original essence while perfecting it with subtle enhancements, Chef Leung skilfully transforms Hunan’s classic dish of steamed fish head with chopped peppers into the Steamed Hamour Fillet & Pickled Chilli Dumpling. This delicate yet flavourful dim sum is filled with beautiful white tender fish mixed with chopped chilli peppers. Also added to the mix is Hutong’s chilli sauce, which is made by fermenting chopped peppers with puréed Tianjin pears to create a multifaceted spicy and savoury balance to the sweet and succulent fish. Hutong’s waterfront restaurant in Miami often shines the spotlight on freshly caught fish, and Chinese-style seafood dishes are well-loved by the city’s Chinese community. Chef Leung brings together all these elements to create this exquisite dim sum offering.
The final item in the Bei Fang Dim Sum Series (Northern Style Dim Sum Series) is the Pan-fried Spiced Shrimp & Scallop Pot Sticker, which hails from Hutong New York. Pot stickers (guo tie) are a traditional snack of northern China. Here, Chef Leung creates a bold-flavoured filling by combining a homemade spicy fennel sauce with shrimp, scallops, cuttlefish, celtuce and carrots. Prepared according to the traditional method, the pot stickers are first steamed and then fried to create a crisp exterior and a juice-filled interior that brims with the fresh flavours of the ocean.
Hutong’s new dim sum items deliver an experience that is exceptional and unforgettable. For this Northern Dim Sum series, Chef Leung worked with the restaurant teams to create and perfect this special octet, which presents “Hutong dim sum done with northern flavours”. Incorporating elements from both the south and the north, this menu aims to bring Hutong’s meticulously crafted dim sum creations to guests worldwide, so that they can share in the rich culinary heritage of Chinese dim sum.
