It’s finally the eve of the Lunar New Year and I’m feeling all festive (like what’s new! Duhhhh) And it’s time forrrrrrrrr…. A reunion dinner! 
Well, one thing I can think of at this time of the festive season would be this dish called: Yu Sheng. Some may call it Yee Sang, Yuu Sahng or Lo Hei (in Cantonese). Also known as the Prosperity Toss or to put it in easy terms: Raw Fish Salad.
On a personal note, apart from being a truly healthy dish, I find that this dish is ‘all about the fish’ (my brain’s playing ‘All About That Bass’ by Meghan Trainor – Turn the ‘bass’ into ‘fish’ and go…It’s all about the fish, bout the fish, bout the fishhhh… There you go a Lunar New Year, Yu Sheng jingle ♫ Hah! 
)
Alright back on serious note, this dish is ‘all about the fish’ indeed! Raw Sashimi grade fish is the main ingredient in this dish. It is very important to ensure the fish is really of Sashimi Grade, for both the Salmon and white fish (if you are using any), apart from fresh vegetables. Some of the common vegetables used would be Carrots, Daikon Radish and Cucumber all cut into long noodle-like spirals. As my Spiralizer wasn’t available, I ‘ribbon-ed up’ my vegetables instead
As a child, I remember watching various television shows where people ‘played’ around with their food before they eventually eat it, during the Chinese New Year season. This dish is popular in Singapore and Malaysia during the Chinese New Year period and as one of its many names, Prosperity Toss goes, all the ingredients in the dish will be tossed around on a large platter before it finally goes into the mouth. The various ingredients will be arranged nicely on a platter and upon cue, all involved will toss the ingredients to great heights(within the parameters of the platter/table) while saying their auspicious wishes for the new year, before eating. It is believed that the height at which the food is being tossed symbolizes on the abundance in fortune of the diners, the higher the toss, the more fortune will come! Those who have not heard of this may find it really weird but the significance behind the Yu Sheng is that this dish symbolizes good luck, abundance, prosperity and vigour.
Without further ado, here we go, I present to you my very own Yu Sheng, in welcoming the Year of the Goat!
All tossed up!
Ingredients
- 1 small Daikon Radish Thinly Spiralled / Ribboned
- 1 small Purple Carrot Thinly Spiralled / Ribboned
- 1 small Carrot Thinly Spiralled / Ribboned
- 1 medium Cucumber Thinly Spiralled / Ribboned
- 1 small packet pickled Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 2 tablespoons Crushed Peanuts
- 300 grams Raw Salmon Slices Sashimi Grade
- 150 grams Raw Snapper / Yellowtail Sashimi Grade OPTIONAL
- A handful fried wanton skin / crispy crackers
- 1- 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
- 1-2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper powder
Instructions
- Arrange all ingredients on a huge platter.
- Toss to great heights before eating.
Notes
Purple carrot has been incorporated to give a variation in colour - other vegetables wit similar texture to carrots/ radish may be incorporated, based on personal preference.
