Yu Sheng is one of my favourite dishes and i always try to have it as many times as i can during the Chinese New Year period. Although it is just a salad, the meaning behind and the ritual before eating makes it a very auspicious dish. Well, no one complains of having more luck in the pocket right ... "Strike TOTO 10 million", "More pay increment", "More As in school", "Good health", "More grandchildren" are popular chants we hear during the tossing and mixing of the salad.
Here's the meaning behind:
“Step 1: All at the table offers New Year greetings. Words: Gong xi fa cai meaning “Congratulations for your wealth” or Wan shi ru yi meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled”.
Step 2: Fish, symbolising abundance or excess through the year, is added. Words: Nian nian you yu and You yu you sheng.
Step 3: The pomelo is added over the fish, adding both luck and auspicious value. Words: Da ji da li. Pepper is then dashed over the ingredients in the hope of attracting more money and valuables. Words: Zhao cai jin bao. Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients to increase all profits 10,000 times and encouraging money to flow in from all directions. Words: Yi ben wan li and Cai yuan guang jin.
Step 4: Carrots are added to the fish indicating blessings of good luck. Words: Hong yun dang tou. Then the shredded green radish is placed on the fish symbolising eternal youth. Words: Qing chun chang zhu. After which the shredded white radish is added - prosperity in business and promotion at work. Words: Feng sheng shui qi and Bu bu gao sheng.
Step 5: The condiments are finally added. First, peanut crumbs are dusted on the dish symbolising a household filled with gold and silver. As an icon of longevity, peanuts also symbolise eternal youth. Words: Jin yin man wu. Sesame seeds quickly follow symbolising a flourishing business. Words: Sheng yi xing long. Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows is then added with wishes that literally the whole floor would be filled with gold. Words: Pian di huang jin.
Step 6: All toss the salad an auspicious 7 times with loud shouts of lo hei and other auspicious New Year wishes. Words: Lo hei which is Cantonese for “tossing luck”. The ingredients mixed by pushing them toward the centre, an encouragement to push on the good luck of all at the table. ” Source: Tan, B (2002). Yu Sheng. Retrieved January 31, 2008, from Singapore Infopedia Web site: http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg/articles/SIP_177_2004-12-30.html
Source: http://blogs.nlb.gov.sg/ask/children/342
Here's the whole gang for our reunion dinner. Not able to get my big sis Jenny to join as she needs to go for her reunion dinner at her in-law's place.
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