By Prachi Agrawal
● 27 Jan 19
Asia
City & Culture
Food Hospitality
Lifestyle
Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first 15 days of the first lunar month, in quite an interesting manner in Malaysia and Singapore. Yusheng, a raw fish salad that has a sweet and tangy taste is tossed in the air. The higher it goes up in the air, the better will be the diner’s fortune for the year.
Yusheng is very symbolic and the name itself plays on homophones. Yu in Chinese stands for fish however, its pronunciation is akin to the Chinese term for abundance. The literal translation of Yu sheng is “raw fish” but its pronunciation sounds like the phrase meaning “increase in abundance” in Chinese. The dish symbolizes abundance and prosperity.
Raw fish strips and shredded vegetables when seasoned with a variety of sauces and condiments give Yusheng a colourful appearance and an irresistible taste. Even its ingredients carry symbolism based on Chinese sayings such as lime symbolizes luck, peanuts symbolize silver and gold, green radishes symbolize everlasting youth, and white radishes symbolize success in career.
All the ingredients are added one at a time and every time an ingredient is put into the dish, the person who is preparing the dish says some well-wishing words. And when all the ingredients have been put into the dish, each diner tosses his/her dish into the air while chanting “lo hei” which is a Cantonese phrase conveying a propitious New Year wish. The higher the dish is tossed up in the air, the better the person’s fortune will be for the year.
Prachi Agrawal
A passionate writer with unsatiated love for stars and travelling. She loves writing and performing poetry and when she isn't doing either, you can find her binge watching Korean drama.
Why Oman Remains the Favorite Holiday Destination for Middle East?
04 Aug 24
Discover Morocco: Your Ultimate Summer 2024 Destination
30 Jul 24
Discover The Magic of The Land of the Rising Sun in One Week!
02 Jul 24
Breathtakingly Beautiful Imperial Towns for a Perfect Morocco Holiday
25 Jun 24
Pakistan in One Week: A Journey Through Culture and History
05 Jun 24
The Hidden Cultural Attractions of Kuwait Revealed
06 Jun 18
Know the 11 Stadiums of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019
29 May 19
Top 10 Things to Include in your Lebanon Itinerary
30 Jun 19
Paris Street Art – The World is Their Canvas
16 Sep 18
Pamper your taste buds in Muscat
17 Aug 19
World’s Top 10 Airports List is Out. How many have you been to?
03 Apr 18
Umrah Trip – A Complete Guide on the Journey to Solace
01 Sep 18
Do You Have What It Takes to Visit These Ghost Towns?
11 Jul 19
Sun & Sand – Answer your Summer Holiday Call at These Beaches in Nicaragua
15 Mar 18
Time Stands Still at These Destinations – 9 of the Oldest Cities in the World
03 Jul 18