Thousands of years ago, the Chinese practised the traditional tea ceremony Yum Cha. It evolved from a dining experience that involved many cups of tea and dim-sums. If your knowledge of Chinese teas begins and ends with the ubiquitous jasmine tea, you are in for a new world of possibili-teas at Yum Cha

Yum Cha in Cantonese, means 'drink tea' and the custom that dates back over thousands of years has now become the breakfast staple of Chinese dining, especially in Hong Kong, where it has its roots.


Lung Chin Green Tea, Blooming Tea and Lapsang Souchong Black
Tea along with Prawn Balls with Tomato Chilli Sauce. Pics/ Shadab
Khan

Chef Ryan Tang brings a piece of Hong Kong to Mumbai at the Yum Cha festival at Emperor's Court, Renaissance Hotel until January 23, where steaming dim sums make their way to your table and an array of teas will be delicately poured into your gaiwan (lidded tea bowl).

Chef Ryan, 34, the recently appointed award-winning Chinese specialty chef, will spend time educating his diners about dim sums with a range of Chinese teas. A quick chat about Cantonese food and traditions with the lean and reticent Chef Ryan, who has been bestowed the Escoffier Gold Medal and was the International Cooking Master 2010 in Shanghai: