Yu Sheng

Looks familiar? Of course it does! I’m sure many of you have tried this dish during the Chinese New Year festive season before. Yu Sheng which is made up of crackers, slices of raw salmon, and other vegetables is often topped with a dressing of plum sauce and other spices. They are most commonly eaten before a reunion dinner where family and friends would gather around and toss the ingredients up in the air while saying auspicious wishes in hopes of having good luck for the rest of the year.

I personally enjoy the dish very much as I’m a great fan of raw salmon. The plum sauce also adds to the flavour and enhances the overall taste of the dish. Crackers are also popular among young children, making this dish well-liked among the whole family.

I decided to search it up online and apparently the tradition of Yu Sheng originated from the phrase’s Cantonese meaning of ‘tossing up good fortune’ using raw fish salad which symbolises an ‘abundance of wealth and long life’. Did you know that it is also rumoured that the higher you toss the ingredients, the greater your fortunes will be!

Of course none of us will be having Yu Sheng anytime soon, but at least now you know the meaning behind having to toss the ingredients!

Fiona Goh (4F)