The man above in blue takes his dim sums very seriously. You cannot out-smart him when it comes to knowledge about these little delicious dumplings. Dharmesh Karmokar, creative brand head and head chef at Nom Nom, Delhi, is extending his love for dumplings to the city with 100 Dim Sum Promotion under which guests will be offered 100 kinds of dim sums to choose from.
Knowing well how particular is he about getting each one right, his staff once gifted him a measuring scale— commonly used in China, not in India so much. That scale is being used now more than ever with the promotion at the restaurant at The Hotel Ashok. ‘‘The art of dim sum is a precise science. You have to ensure you measure the filling as well as the flour for the crust precisely, otherwise you won’t get the perfect dim sum. Because the scale measures the quantities perfectly, I admit, it’s one of my best presents,’’ says Karmokar.
The offerings include Twice-cooked Spinach and Corn dumpling, Pan-fried Chicken Wheat Starch Skins, Pleats Imprinted Rice Wrapper Stuffed Wild Mushroom, Mock Green Prawn Steamed Rolls, Real Chicken’s Black Threaded Egg dumplings, Butter Spinach Crystal dumpling and a lot more.
Gauging the rising demand for dim sums by their guests, Karmokar decided it would be a good idea to baffle them with many options, so they keep coming back to try a new set, every week. ‘‘They are light, healthy and wholesome. We offer varieties like fried, deep-fried, baked, poached and braised. Some of our more creative ones are Almond Crusted Fried Tofu Cactus dumpling, consisting of almond crusted fried tofu, minced and placed inside a dumpling, infused with coconut powder. Our chocolate dim sum is a sinful treat,’’ says the chef, who says that he personally has had the best dim sums in Singapore and Hong Kong; one of them being an Octopus dim sum, with a tentacle coming out from one side.
Talk about culinary dramas, just like the one he experienced above, and how much Indians love them. Re creating some of his own is Karmokar and his team of dim sum chefs at Nom Nom. A visit could prove to be quite a treat.