This freezer-to-table brand makes flavourful, artisanal dumplings accessible for frequent indulgence
Steaming the dimsums is as easy as 1-2-3. Pics/Nasrin Modak Siddiqi
In the last five years, dimsum has quietly moved from being a rare indulgence at speciality Asian restaurants to becoming a full-blown craze across Mumbai and India. What was once reserved for Chinatown-style eateries or five-star hotel menus has now spilt into neighbourhood cafés, delivery kitchens, and even quick-commerce platforms. In Mumbai, the love for dimsum is fuelled by the city’s appetite for global flavours, its late-night dining culture, and its openness to experiment with everything from truffle-infused edamame dumplings to homely chicken suimai.
Varun Kapoor and Deepthi Nair
Recently, we came across a brand that takes restaurant-quality dimsums out of the confines of fine-dining kitchens and makes it freezer-to-table. It is handcrafted, preservative-free, with more than 20 varieties, delivered across Mumbai, Happy Monk goes beyond the usual momos with the warmth of home and the finesse of an artisanal meal. We tried the Veg Crystal with Water Chestnut (Rs 395), which brings a refreshing crunch with every bite. At the same time, the Edamame Truffle Dimsum (Rs 445) elevates vegetarian dining with its earthy richness and silky texture. Among the chicken offerings, the Smoked Chicken & Cheddar Cheese (Rs 445) is indulgent and hearty, balanced by the classic elegance of the Chicken Suimai (Rs 425). Seafood lovers are spoilt for choice with the delicate Prawn & Chive Har Gow (Rs 485), each fold translucent and flavour-packed, and the luxurious Crab & Prawn Truffle Suimai (Rs 485), where oceanic sweetness meets a decadent truffle hit. For vegans, the Three Wild Mushrooms Dimsum( Rs 395) delivers deep, umami-laden satisfaction, proving that plant-based can be just as indulgent. The paper thin covering for all of these dimsums, made with potato starch is what makes it delectable.
Lobster and crab dimsums; (right) Edamame truffle dimsums
For founders Varun Kapoor and Deepthi Nair, both veterans of India’s F&B world, their project Happy Monk was born during the lockdown, but the story goes back further. “My husband Varun first tasted momos in Darjeeling and fell in love with them. Soon, I did too,” recalls Nair. Both seasoned FMCG professionals, they initially focused on B2B, but gifting dimsums to friends during 2020 sparked something bigger. “People kept ordering for house parties — that’s when we knew we had a product worth building on.”
From a small rented kitchen in Navi Mumbai to a state-of-the-art frozen facility today, Happy Monk has grown 50–60 per cent month-on-month. “Dim sum-making is an art — the dough, the fold, the filling. For us, it’s always small-batch, handmade, and preservative-free,” says Nair. While automation will come in with scale, chefs will be an integral part of her team. Since the dimsums are shock-frozen at -35 degrees, they are preservative free as well. However, the retail space still lacks handling knowledge. “Frozen can be fresher — if you respect the cold chain,” concludes Nair.
To order: thehappymonk.co.in
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