Yusheng

Yusheng , yee sang or yuu sahng is a fish salad. It usually consists of strips of raw fish , mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish " is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance ", Yúshēng is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor.

History

Fishermen along the coast of Guangzhou traditionally celebrated Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, by feasting on their catches. This practice is believed to have started in Chaozhou and Shantou as far back as the Southern Song Dynasty. In 's colonial past, migrants imported this tradition; porridge stalls sold a raw fish dish which is believed to have originated in Jiangmen, Guangdong province that consisted of fish, turnip and carrot strips, which was served with condiments of oil, vinegar and sugar that were mixed in by customers.
The modern yusheng dish originated in during Chinese New Year in 1964 in Lai Wah Restaurant and was invented by master chef Than Mui Kai as a symbol of prosperity and good health amongst the chinese. Together with Lau Yoke Pui , Hooi Kok Wai and Sin Leong, Than Mui Kai was named as one of the Four Heavenly Culinary Kings of Singapore some 40 years ago for their Cantonese culinary prowess and ingenuity.The tradition is still widely practiced till today and has since spread to many parts of Asia, although not practised as much as in Malaysia and Singapore.









The taste of the original raw fish dish was standardized with a special sauce using plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and sesame oil, and the fish was served with carrots, chilli, turnips, limes, jellyfish, red pickled ginger, sun-dried oranges and other ingredients, turning this simple dish into an exquisite salad with 27 ingredients. The original dish used raw mackerel, although in deference to the popular wishes of customers, salmon was later offered as an alternative due to the growing popularity of Salmon.
Since then, yusheng has become a staple Chinese New Year dish in Malaysia as well as in Chinese communities in Singapore and is typically available only during this festive season.

Lo Hei: How yusheng is eaten today

Today, this dish is served as an appetizer to raise 'good luck' for the new year and is usually eaten on Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year. In a celebration known as "lo hei" , families and friends gather around the table and, on cue, proceed to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying out loud to mark the start of a prosperous new year and it's customary that the higher you toss, the greater your fortunes!

Typical ingredients include: fresh salmon, daikon , carrot, red pepper , ginger, daun limau nipis , Chinese parsley, chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, Chinese shrimp crackers , five spice powder. The dressing is made primarily from plum sauce.