Dim sum is the Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involved small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate and means "touch the heart".Usually linked with the older tradition of "yum cha" (tea tasting), Dim Sum has it roots along the Silk Road, where travellers and farmers would rest. Tea houses were established along the roadside and people would also often go for a relaxing afternoon of tea. Initially tea and food were not consumed together as it was widely believed that this would lead to excessive weight gain, but they later discovered that it indeed aided digestion.
Since the 10th century, about 2000 different varieties of dim sum have been created, with up to 100 kinds offered on any given day in the larger restaurants.
