Chinese New Year marks the arrival of Spring and the ubiquitous Singaporean tradition of the Prosperity Toss, aka Yu Sheng, is making its appearance once again at Chinese restaurants and homes island-wide to celebrate this occasion. For the uninitiated, Yu Sheng is a salad that typically consists of strips of raw fish, mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. The main sauce is a sweet and sour-ish type using plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and sesame oil. But in this article I am going to share how to make this sauce easily at home using just THREE ingredients. Yup, three.
The star ingredient I’m using for this easy but flavorful sauce is Orange Marmalade from FrezFruta (Updated 2020: any brand orange marmalade works just as well!). FrezFruta’s orange marmalade is sugar-free, preservative-free and also free of artificial coloring. And because every batch of FrezFruta Orange Marmalade has been prepared with 40% fruits, kids will love this. Elder folks such as parents and grandparents will be happy with this as well since it’s suitable for diabetics. I say this because even though in my family we don’t generally celebrate Chinese New Year, I have brought my parents out to have Yu Sheng at restaurants before and even though they enjoy it, they’re always cautious of the sugar content in the sauce.
Without further ado, this is how I use the jam to create Yu Sheng Sauce.
DIY Yu Sheng Sauce
2 Tablespoon Orange Marmalade
Juice of 1 Lime
Pinch of Salt (optional)
Warm Water
Mix all ingredients well into a small container. Add warm water by the teaspoonfuls to dilute the marmalade and achieve a more fluid consistency as desired.
And that’s it.
I told you it’s easy, didn’t I? It’s so easy that even your kid can make it. Now there’s an idea to include the little ones in this yearly family-oriented ritual. Everyone will love this DIY Homemade Yu Sheng Sauce because it doesn’t give off that artificial, saccharine after-taste. The sweetness of the sauce is also mild enough such that it doesn’t overpower the flavors of the other ingredients.
TIP: In case you don’t already know, roll limes on the countertop prior to cutting as it will make squeezing out its juices much easier. If the limes were refrigerated, you can nuke it in a microwave for about 10 seconds and it will become super juicy. (But be careful not to burn/scald yourself as the juice may be hot!)
I suppose there’s really no stopping anyone from using 3 tablespoons of the Orange Marmalade instead of two… it is sugar-free after all. Up to you. Anyway when you’re done making this sauce, set it aside while you assemble the rest of Yu Sheng ingredients.
Guide to Yu Sheng: Step by Step with Auspicious Phrases and Their Meanings
The thing about Yu Sheng is that I always find the way it is served highly amusing. The ingredients that go into this salad aren’t exactly random. They have been picked for specific reasons. Every single item on the plate is meant to represent something auspicious. It’s a salad platter that is brimming with positive symbolisms!
When putting the Yu Sheng on the table, there’s a ritual where it’s accompanied by New Year greetings such as 恭喜发财 Gong Xi Fa Cai meaning “Congratulations for your wealth”, 万事如意 Wan Shi Ru Yi meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled” said verbally, followed by declarations of more good wishes associated with what the ingredients symbolize. Do your best to project and maintain a lively, perky tone since this is a cheerful occasion.
….. Uhm, what else do we need to say after Gong Xi Fa Cai?
See, this is why I need to blog about this and include the Yu Sheng ingredients’ meanings AND the auspicious phrases you’re supposed to say during their assembly. This way you and everybody else don’t end up standing around the dining table and staring at a plate of salad as a clueless group – as seen above. Let’s start again properly, shall we?
First, assemble a bed of shredded green radish symbolising eternal youth.
You say: 青春常驻 Qing Chun Chang Zhu
Meaning “Forever young”.
Next, add a bed of shredded white radish for prosperity in business and promotion at work.
You say: 风生水起 Feng Sheng Shui Qi, 步步高升 Bu Bu Gao Sheng
Meaning “Progress at a fast pace” and “Reaching higher level with each step”
Shredded carrots are added indicating blessings of good luck.
You say: 鸿运当头 Hong Yun Dang Tou
Meaning “Good luck is approaching”.
Then, the shredded pomelo or segments of orange/tangerine is added, to symbolize luck and auspicious value.
You say: 大吉大利 Da Ji Da Li
Meaning “Good luck and smooth sailing”.
Thin slices of raw fish (usually salmon) is added, symbolising abundance and excess through the year.
You say: 年年有余 Nian Nian You Yu
Meaning “Abundance through the year”, as the word “fish” in Mandarin also sounds like “Abundance”.
White pepper is then sprinkled on top, in the hope of attracting more money and valuables.
You say: 招财进宝 Zhao Cai Jin Bao
Meaning “Attract wealth and treasures”.
Then olive oil is drizzled to circle the ingredients, to encourage wealth flowing in from all directions.
You say: 一本万利 Yi Ben Wan Li, 财源广进 Cai Yuan Guang Jin
Meaning “Make 10,000 times of profit with your capital” and “Numerous sources of wealth”.
Peanut crumbs are dusted over the Yu Sheng, symbolizing a household filled with gold and silver.
You say: 金银满屋 Jin Yin Man Wu
Meaning “Household filled with gold and silver”.
Sesame seeds quickly follow, symbolising a flourishing business.
You say: 生意兴隆 Sheng Yi Xing Long
Meaning “Prosperity for the business”.
Drizzle the Yu Sheng sauce generously over your salad.
You say: 甜甜蜜蜜 Tian Tian Mi Mi
Meaning “May life always be sweet”.
Last but not least and my perennial personal fave:
Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows are added with wishes for an abundance of gold, so much that your entire floor is covered by gold.
You say: 满地黄金 Man Di Huang Jin
Meaning “Floor full of gold”.
The list above is what a typical and basic Yu Sheng is made up of. There are more ingredients that you can add, if you like – such as jellyfish, shredded preserved orange peel, candied ginger, red pickled ginger, etc.
Creativity can definitely be exercised when it comes to the protein. Instead of raw salmon, you can switch it up with raw tuna or other sashimi-grade raw fish. If you don’t fancy raw fish at all, there are also Yu Sheng versions with slices of poached abalone. Even though Yu Sheng is generally best when served with seafood, I have even seen Yu Sheng with slices of Peking Duck in it.
One year I had Yu Sheng with roasted Japanese eel (unagi) instead of raw salmon. That was yummy. That same year I also had Yu Sheng lovingly homemade at a friend’s house and topped with gold leaf. Ooooohhh, faaaaaaaaaancy. *heart eyes*
For vegan version, you can substitute the raw fish with slivers of coconut (dried or fresh works equally well), bite-sized cubes of tofu, konjac jelly, etc. Or even add slices of avocado to your Yu Sheng. I’m sure that will be delicious too.
Now that the assembly of Yu Sheng is complete, everyone at the table stand up and pick up their chopsticks. On cue, proceed to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying various auspicious wishes (again). These wishes I will try to compile at some point so come back to my blog again come the next Chinese New Year. :”P
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT even think of letting any inauspicious or woeful words, statements or sentiments spew out of your mouth. Remember: happy + perky + auspicious sayings only!!!
Let’s stick our chopsticks into this salad and toss, toss, TOSS!
Ready?
Set?
TOSS!!!!!
The happier and higher everyone toss, the more mess everyone will make. This is to be anticipated, and even highly encouraged. So if you’re an obsessively neat freak like me, this is the part when a silent panic attack set of by the thought of cleaning up afterwards will set in.
It is believed that the height of the Yu Sheng toss reflects the height of the diner’s growth in fortunes, thus diners are expected to toss enthusiastically. As for me, I would need a couple tranquillizer shots beforehand to quieten my internal hysteria as I witness the dramatic mess splattering and torpedo-ing in every possible direction.
TIP: It’s a good idea to line your dining table with disposable cover first when you’re planning to do Yu Sheng toss. Easy cleanup afterwards.
Mix the salad really, really well and have all those wonderful wishes you’ve just declared plus an abundance of good luck come flying towards you in the coming new year.
Meanwhile I’d be thinking, there’s gotta be a way to control and contain the flying pieces of shredded radish and carrot, etc. I must invent something! Maybe a plastic tent hovering above the dining table or some form of moat to contain the debris – but hey, that’s just me. ;)
The point of Yu Sheng is to gather with family, friends, loved ones and partake in this communal experience together. Spread the joy, share the Chinese New Year excitement, usher in prosperity, and welcome abundance.
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR, everyone! Gong Xi Fa Cai + Gung Hey Fat Choy. May you – AND ME! – have plenti-plenti-plentiful of CHOY (prosperity) galloping your way in the New Year of the Horse. :) :) :)
Please enjoy your Yu Sheng and have a wonderful time celebrating.
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