TDN Weekend December 2016 Issue 9
Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/910009
The cuisine of China is rich and di- verse, with a variety of cooking styles among different provinces. The cui- sines of Anhui, Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces form the "eight culinary traditions of China." It is the Cantonese or Yue cuisine from Guangdong province in southern Chi- na that is the most recognized around the globe, and specifically, the Chi- nese food that is the most commonly seen in Europe and the United States. However, the cuisine is often slight- ly modified due to the availability of specialty products and often the need to cater to a local customer's ex- pectations. But when racing in Hong Kong, the Chinese dining experience is as authentic as it gets, and one that is unrivaled across racing venues in the world. "We offer a well-balanced mix of the eight great traditional cuisines of China," says Chef Lam Wan Fai, who has served as the executive chef for Chinese cuisine at the HKJC for the past 17 years. Across its racecourse venues, the HKJC offers more than 30 dim sum options on its menus, and over 200 individual Chinese dishes. In Chinese, dim sum literally means "a light touch on the heart" and is a good way to describe the small and delicious, sa- vory or sweet items usually served in bamboo baskets. Inextricably linked to Cantonese cuisine, dim sum was originally served as light snacks in tea houses to entice weary travelers Each piece of dumpling needs to have 18 to 24 folds to ensure the skin is thin but will not break during cooking.