There is a lot of work that goes into dinner parties, from the prep to the set-up and more. A great way to decrease stress and significantly reduce the time spent to get ready is to let your guests get involved with the party preparation. An easy recipe to prepare that you can actually create a whole theme around is Chinese dumplings, specifically dim sum. It’s the perfect meal because it’s an entree that encourages interaction. You can build an entire festive dinner around it alongside eye-catching, modern details inspired by Asia. Since your guests will be with you throughout the whole time and all the socializing is happening in the kitchen, you will be able to savor every single moment. Decorations and Menu f course, the dim sum is the centerpiece, but it’s important to plan the rest of the menu. It’s also key to have the appropriate decorations. Find out where you can get Chinese paper lanterns so you can hang them from the ceiling. Look into picking up some peonies or any hot pink flowers that you can float in glass bowls filled with water for a lovely floral arrangement. Choose a hot pink and grass green color palette because that will surely pop against a backdrop that’s clean white with some bamboo elements. Set out small bowls with Asian snacks like dried mangoes and wasabi peas so guests can have something to munch as you guys start to prepare the main course. Dim Sum In order to make things even more fun, provide different kinds of filling styles for your guests. There are a good number of fillings available for dim sum in Houston.
  • Har gow – Chinese vegetables and sweet shrimp
  • Jiaozi – Ground beef or pork, bamboo shoots, cabbage, garlic, ginger
  • Siu mai – One of the easiest, most classic fillings. Ground pork, ginger, mushrooms, shrimp, and scallions
  • Xiao long bao – Chopped cooked pork or crab, collagen-rich pork trimmings. When it’s steamed, the collagen melts and there ends up being “soup” (broth) in the dumpling.
You can also look into combinations of green curry shrimp. For a vegetarian option, the likes of shiitake mushrooms and napa cabbage are good choices. Show them how to fill and steam the wonton wrappers, or see if anyone has a style they know of that the whole group can try. Then you can either steam the dumplings, which is the traditional way, or fry them. One of the best ways to round out that meal is to have side dishes that are crisp and fresh, like a salad with radishes and sesame soy noodles or lettuce wraps of some sort.  A good thing to pair with the best dim sum in Houston are refreshing drinks such as cucumber and ginger juice. For an alcoholic take, lychee mojitos will hit the spot while keeping the Asian flavor profile. Conclusion Dim sum is a convenient, delicious meal that can be a great bonding experience to make. If you’d rather have a more relaxed, laid-back time, however, you can also DIY drinks and just call for delivery. Alternatively, instead of sprucing up your home and hosting, you can invite your friends for a lovely meal at a delicious restaurant. Looking for the best Chinese food in Houston? Check out Ocean Palace Restaurant! We’ve been in the heart of Chinatown at the Hong Kong City Mall since 1999, serving Chinese seafood and dim sum.