In the last few years, they’ve opened three other shops (Emporium, Preston Market and Queen Victoria Market) and struck a deal with Woolworths to sell their frozen dim sims. Ken Cheng’s sons, Edward and Phillip, took over South Melbourne Dims Sims in the 1980s. It was all handmade back then, but now it’s more formalised because it’s made by machines,” explains Philip Cheng. Dad started the big dim sim, 100 grams plus. “If you go to takeaway shops now, they have the small dim sim, around 50 grams. The recipe for Cheng’s dim sims, which are known to be larger than other dim sims, hasn’t changed much since 1949: cabbage, beef, pork, lamb and spices are encased in a thick dumpling wrapper.
While most dim sims have a rectangular shape, the larger round dim sims are known as South Melbourne dims sims, thanks to Cheng.
Though his family can’t confirm if the story is true, it adds to the aura of South Melbourne Market Dim Sims. Steamed or fried? Take your pick of dim sims, potato cakes and spring rolls.Īccording to a South Melbourne Market legend relayed in The Age, Cheng came to Melbourne as a chef for General Douglas MacArthur during World War II.
