Dim sum comprises of small bite-sized traditional Chinese dishes. These dishes are usually accompanied by tea as they can tame the saltier and spicier dishes while enhancing the flavour of the steamed dim sum and baked buns. These dishes are meant to be shared among family and friends during brunch hours.
The most common types of dim sum are dumplings, buns, puffs, tarts, wraps, and noodle rolls filled with a mixture of fresh seafood, meat, and vegetables. Dim sum usually tastes sweet and salty or a mixture of both. The delicious custard buns are extremely mouthwateringly sweet and gooey that you would want more just after taking a bite.
How do you prepare frozen dim sum?
- Thaw the frozen dim sum by letting them sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Another method is to thaw them in the fridge overnight.
- Place the frozen dim sum in the steamer and cover it with a lid. Steam for 7-10 minutes, or until the dim sum is cooked through.
10 Best Frozen Dim Sum in Malaysia
1. Lo Mai Kai
Lo mai gai means “glutinous rice chicken”. It is a classic dim sum dish. It contains glutinous rice filled with chicken, Chinese mushrooms, Chinese sausages, scallions, and sometimes dried shrimp or salted egg. The ball of rice is then wrapped in a dried lotus leaf and steamed. This dish can be quite filling by itself as glutinous rice is more compact than normal rice.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Glutinous Rice, Water, Chicken, Cooking Oil (Palm Oil), Sugar, Oyster Sauce, Mushroom, Soy Sauce, Ginger, Dark Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Tapioca Starch, Onion, Salt, Garlic, Corn Starch, Pepper, Five Spice Powder, Cooking Wine, and Chicken Stock Powder
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 180g
Pros:
✅ Fragrant
✅ Nutritious
✅ All-in-one meal
Price: RM4.30
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
2. Siew Mai
Siew Mai is an open-faced steamed dumpling traditionally made with minced pork wrapped in wonton pastry, steamed, and served in bamboo baskets. It is one of the most popular and also common traditional dim sum dishes. Historical records claim that this dish originated from Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia. There, it was known as suumai, which means “without being cooled down” in Mongolian.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Pork, Sugar, Water, Spanish Mackerel Paste (Mackerel Fish, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil [Palm Based], Water and Modified Starch), Squid Paste (Squid, Surimi, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil [Palm Based], Water and Modified Starch), Onion, Wonton Wrapper (Wheat Flour, Water, Salt, Egg, Tapioca Starch, Sesame Oil, Salt, and Pepper
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 500g
Pros:
✅ Affordable
✅ Bite-sized
✅ High in protein
Price: RM19.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
3. Steamed BBQ Pork Bun
Authentic BBQ Pork Buns are made of deliciously soft and fluffy bread on the outside with juicy and tender pork fillings on the inside. No “yum cha” session is complete without a generous serving of these warm and fluffy buns to nibble on. This is a dim sum dish you must not miss when you visit a dim sum restaurant.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Pork, Sugar, Oyster Sauce, Cooking Oil (Palm Oil), Shortening (Palm Based), Soy Sauce, Tapioca Starch, Onion, Garlic, Corn Starch, Dark Soy Sauce, Yeast, Sesame Oil, Baking Powder, Cooking Wine, Salt, Pepper Powder, and Five Spice Powder
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 270g
Pros:
✅ Affordable
✅ Delicious
✅ Fast preparation
Price: RM8.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
4. Beancurd Skin Roll
Beancurd skin roll or tofu roll is a dim sum dish that can be easily found in Hong Kong and most Chinese restaurants. The outer layer is made of tofu skin and its fillings include pork, vegetables, fish, or beef. This dim sum is usually served on tiny plates and can be prepared fried or steamed. It is bite-sized and is perfect as an appetizer.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Pork, Yuba, Sugar, Mackerel Fish Paste (Mackerel Fish, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil [Palm Based] and Modified Starch), Squid Paste (Squid, Surimi, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil [Palm Based] and Modified Starch), Onion, Tapioca Starch, Sesame Oil, Salt, and Pepper Powder
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 350g
Pros:
✅ Fast preparation
✅ Great taste
✅ Bite-sized
Price: RM19.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
5. Seaweed Siew Mai
Seaweed siew mai is an innovative take on the traditional classic siew mai. This dim sum dish too is an open-faced steamed dumpling, traditionally made with minced pork wrapped in wonton pastry. However, the difference is that it is coated with seaweed. It tastes just as delicious as the traditional siew mai.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Pork, Sugar, Spanish Mackerel Fish Paste (Mackerel Fish, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil [Palm Based] and Modified Starch), Squid Paste (Squid, Surimi, Sugar, Salt, Cooking Oil [Palm Based] and Modified Starch), Onion, Tapioca Starch, Sesame Oil, Seaweed, Salt and Pepper Powder.
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 200g
Pros:
✅ Bite-sized
✅ Fast preparation
✅ Juicy and soft meat
Price: RM11.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
6. Custard Bun
Custard buns are a dim sum cart favourite for many dim sum lovers. These soft and fluffy buns will melt in your mouth while its warm filling oozes out to fill your tastebuds with an explosion of sweet and creamy custard. These sweet custard buns would certainly go well with saltier dim sum dishes like siew mai.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Margarine, Sugar, Salted Egg Yolk, Evaporated Milk, Custard Powder, Milk Powder, Wheat Flour, Fish Gelatin, Shortening (Palm Based), Baking Powder, and Yeast
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 270g
Pros:
✅ Soft and fluffy bread
✅ Fast preparation
✅ Sweet inner filling
Price: RM15.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
7. Mini Herbal Chicken
This Chinese herbal chicken dish is known to re-energize the body and strengthen the immune system. It is believed that the herbs cooked with the chicken will nourish one’s Qi and blood, thus promoting better blood circulation. It is also generally consumed to improve the digestive system and boost overall health.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Chicken, Sugar, Ginger, Goji, Cooking Wine, Sesame Oil, Salt, Polygonatum, Chicken Stock Powder, Angelica, Chuan Xiong, and Dangshen
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 240g
Pros:
✅ Improves immunity
✅ Promotes healthy skin
✅ Improves eye health
Price: RM12.50
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
8. Chinese Radish Cake
The Chinese radish cake is not a cake. It is steamed to form a round or square/rectangle shape then pan-fried in slices and usually served with a savoury sauce. It is usually filled with cured meat, daikon radish, mushrooms, and dried shrimp. It is a very popular dim sum item and is also a dish commonly prepared during the Chinese New Year.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: White Carrot, Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Wheat Starch, Chinese Sausage, Shrimp, Sugar, Sweet Preserved Radish, and Salt
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 720g
Pros:
✅ Rich in antioxidants
✅ Improve blood flow
✅ Fast preparation
Price: RM20.00
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
9. Fried Shrimp Roll
This dim sum is made of fresh and juicy prawns wrapped in bean curd skin and then deep-fried. It serves as the perfect finger food because it comes in bite-sized portions and its crunchiness can be just so satisfying. It would pair well with other sweet dim sum dishes such as the custard bun dim sum dish.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Prawn, Bean Curd Skin, Pork Lard, Potato Starch, Sugar, Squid Paste, Sesame Oil, Salt, Cheese, and Pepper Powder
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 240g
Pros:
✅ Finger food
✅ Crunchy and juicy
✅ Fast preparation
Price: RM21.90
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
10. Fried Shrimp Pork Dumpling
These tiny fried shrimp pork dumplings are heaven in a single bite. Fresh juicy prawns are wrapped in dumpling wrappers then they are plunged into hot oil and fried until crispy. Imagine biting into those crunchy outer layers and then finally tasting that succulent and tender prawn. It is amazingly delicious.
Specifications:
- Ingredients: Prawn, Dumpling Wrapper, Pork Lard, Potato Starch, Sugar, Squid Paste, Sesame Oil, Salt, and Pepper Powder
- Country Of Origin: Malaysia
- Size Available: 240g
Pros:
✅ Fast preparation
✅ Fresh prawns
✅ Bite-sized
Price: RM21.90
*Prices may vary at the time of purchase
Disclosure: This list was compiled by the team at My Weekend Plan after extensive research and shared opinions to suggest helpful recommendations for the public. The sequence of brands is in no particular order so if you have any other great suggestions too, please email us support@myweekendplan.com.my. For more information, kindly refer to our copyright, privacy & disclosure policy.
