Please note: our order with Ping Pong was received free of charge, but this in no way impacted on our opinion. We were not obliged to write a positive review, and the brand did not see this review before it was put up on the site.
I’m a big fan of dim sum. Commonly translated to mean “touch the heart”, these Chinese delicacies were originally designed to be eaten with tea by travellers on the Silk Road, satisfying the appetite but not leaving people feeling over-full. And thanks to London restaurant brand, Ping Pong, it’s now easier than ever to enjoy great dim sum at home.
Spurred on by seeing the number of restaurants launching meal kits as a result of COVID-19, Ping Pong wanted to create their own offering that, unlike some others, didn’t come with complicated instructions, excessively short shelf lives or hefty price tags. And so, their Ready to Steam range was born: a selection of handmade restaurant dim sum at affordable prices, created by Ping Pong chefs and ready to cook at home as soon as it arrives by courier – in just over a minute in the microwave, or five minutes in a traditional steaming basket.
Head to the Ping Pong online shop and you’ll find a selection of 15 of their most popular dim sum to choose from, including gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options. You can also buy various oils and dipping sauces, as well as tableware (including bamboo steamers), plus a range of teas to accompany your meal. Prices starts from £5.34 for six vegan spinach and mushroom dumplings, rising to a maximum of £9.85 for Ping Pong’s half rack of honey-glazed spare ribs.
As you’d expect, there’s a minimum order value, and for Ping Pong, that’s £30, which would incur a £6 delivery fee. Order over £42 of food, though, and delivery is free – and if you order by 2pm, they’ll deliver it the very next day to mainland UK addresses. £42 may be a lot of dim sum, especially for smaller households like ours, but each of their products has a shelf life of four days after it arrives, meaning you can keep it in the fridge and simply eat it when you’re ready to.
Our thoughts on Ping Pong’s ready to steam dim sum
The ordering process via the Ping Pong website was pretty straightforward, with email confirmation and delivery details sent by Ping Pong and Parcelforce respectively. Absolutely no complaints here about the packaging when the parcel arrived, either: the box was well-packed with both thermal packaging (recyclable) and gel packs (reusable) to keep the dim sum cold, while the products themselves were also perfectly packaged. Each dim sum product came in its own microwavable container, while the chicken wings and ribs were delivered in well-sealed vacuum bags.
The delivery came with a little booklet that detailed the ingredients, allergens and nutritional information for every single Ping Pong dim sum item, along with cooking instructions, storage details and serving suggestions. Almost all of the dim sum can be microwaved in the container it comes in, just adding a little water before zapping for a minute or a little more. For many, though, the brand says that the best option is to steam – it’s good to have that choice if you don’t have a steamer at home.
It all looked and smelled incredible when cooking – and the flavour didn’t disappoint either. The char sui buns (£7.26 for 4) were dense and fluffy, with a plentiful sweet, tender and juicy pork filling. The duck spring rolls (£5.94 for 6) needed to be cooked in the oven, leading to good, crisp pastry with a beautiful filling – we didn’t think there was any need for the cucumber, though, it ended up with a bit of a slimy texture.
The prawn har gau (£6.42 for 6) were a great example of the traditional classic, with a delicate, gelatinous wrapper and good sized chunks of juicy prawns, still with plenty of bite. And the chicken and cashew nut dumplings (£5.76 for 6) had an almost fruity flavour thanks to the addition of hoi sin sauce – with small chunks of cashew dotted throughout, there was a hint of chilli, but they weren’t excessively spicy.
Surprisingly, one of my favourites was the vegan spinach and mushroom dumplings (£5.34 for 6), which can be microwaved, steamed or pan-fried. The two mushroom varieties plus the spinach created a dumpling that was earthy and rich, and the zing of ginger was a delicious touch.
On the following night, we tried the honey glazed spare ribs (£9.85 for a half rack) and the smoked chilli chicken wings (£6.24 for 8). It was a little frustrating that both had different cooking temperatures, but they were worth the effort: the ribs sweet and tender, the chicken wings not as spicy as expected, but sticky and delicious.
The prices you pay for delivery are only slightly higher than at Ping Pong restaurants – which makes sense, given the need for packaging, delivery and the little booklet that comes with the dim sum. And the good news is, they’ll be continuing to offer their dim sum delivery service even now that lockdown is easing. Recommended – order online here.