Cantonese morning tea, also known as “yam cha” or “enjoy tea,” is a unique food culture in Guangdong. Its history can be traced back to the Xianfeng and Tongzhi periods of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, a simple teahouse called “Erli Hall” appeared in Guangzhou, providing simple tea and snacks for passers-by. Over time, Erli Hall gradually developed into a teahouse, and the types of snacks offered became more and more abundant. By the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, Guangzhou’s teahouse industry entered its heyday, and the morning tea culture gradually matured. Morning tea is not only a way of eating, but also an important place for Cantonese people to socialize and relax. People taste food, chat and gather in teahouses, and enjoy a leisurely time.
Features：
The characteristic of Cantonese morning tea is its rich and diverse snacks and unique way of drinking tea. There are many types of snacks for morning tea, including steamed snacks, fried snacks, porridge, noodles, etc., with rich flavors to meet the needs of different groups of people. Common snacks include shrimp dumplings, siu mai, barbecued pork buns, chicken feet, ribs, and Sampan porridge. The way of drinking tea for morning tea is also very particular. It is usually paired with Pu-erh tea, Tieguanyin, etc. to relieve greasiness and help digestion.
Since there’s a vast selection of dim sum for Cantonese morning tea, let’s take a look at the ingredients and instructions for making some popular choices.
Shrimp Dumplings
Ingredients:
- Fresh shrimp: 250g
- Pork: 50g
- Wheat starch: 150g
- Tapioca starch: 50g
- Lard: 15g
- Salt, sugar, pepper, sesame oil: appropriate amount
Instructions:
- Peel and devein the fresh shrimp, dice some and mince some into shrimp paste.
- Mince the pork, mix with diced shrimp and shrimp paste, add salt, sugar, pepper, and sesame oil and mix well.
- Mix wheat starch and tapioca starch, add boiling water to scald, knead into a dough, add lard and knead well.
- Roll the dough into a long strip, cut into small pieces, and roll into thin skins.
- Wrap the filling in the dumpling skin and pinch into the shape of shrimp dumplings.
- Put the shrimp dumplings in a steamer and steam for 8-10 minutes.
Siu Mai
Ingredients:
- Pork: 200g
- Shrimp: 100g
- Shiitake mushrooms: 50g
- Glutinous rice: 50g
- Siu mai skin: appropriate amount
- Scallions, ginger, salt, sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil: appropriate amount
Instructions:
- Soak the glutinous rice for 2 hours in advance and steam until cooked.
- Mince the pork, dice the shrimp, and dice the soaked shiitake mushrooms.
- Mix the minced pork, shrimp, shiitake mushrooms and glutinous rice, add chopped scallions and ginger, salt, sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil and mix well.
- Wrap the filling in the siu mai skin and pinch into the shape of siu mai.
- Put the siu mai in a steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes.
Barbecued Pork Buns
Ingredients:
- Barbecued pork: 200g
- Flour: 200g
- Yeast: 3g
- Baking powder: 2g
- White sugar: 20g
- Water: 100ml
- Barbecue sauce: appropriate amount
Instructions:
- Dice the barbecued pork and mix with barbecue sauce.
- Mix flour, yeast, baking powder and white sugar, add water and knead into a dough, ferment to twice the size.
- Knead the fermented dough evenly and roll into thin skins.
- Wrap the filling in the dough and pinch into the shape of buns.
- Put the barbecued pork buns in a steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes.
Steamed Chicken Feet
Ingredients:
- 500g Chicken feet
- 3-4 slices Ginger
- 2 stalks Scallions, cut into sections
- 1 tbsp Cooking wine
- 2 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp White pepper
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2-3 Dried chili peppers (optional)
- 1 tbsp Fermented black beans, rinsed
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- Oil for deep frying
- Instructions:
- Wash chicken feet thoroughly. Cut off claws.
- Blanch: Cold water, ginger, scallions, cooking wine. Boil, simmer 5 minutes.
- Deep fry: Dry chicken feet. Medium-high heat until golden and blistered.
- Soak: Immediately transfer to ice water. Soak 2+ hours (or overnight).
- Sauce: Combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, sesame oil, garlic, black beans, cornstarch.
- Steam: Drain chicken feet. Place in steaming dish. Pour sauce over.
- Steam: High heat, 30-45 minutes, until tender.
- Serve: Garnish with scallions (optional).
Precautions：
The making of morning tea snacks requires certain skills and experience. Beginners can start by trying simple snacks.
The ingredients for morning tea snacks should be fresh to ensure taste and hygiene.
The seasoning of morning tea snacks should be adjusted according to personal taste, but the characteristics of Cantonese cuisine’s light and fresh flavor should be maintained.
The way of drinking tea for morning tea is also very important. You must choose the right snacks to match in order to achieve the effect of relieving greasiness and helping digestion.
Morning tea is a social activity, so pay attention to etiquette and atmosphere, and enjoy the good times with family and friends.
