Easy Homemade Yee Sang Recipe For An Intimate CNY 2021 Celebration At Home

Eunis Ong

Last updated 14 Jan 2021

Toss To A Better 2021

Known as a 'prosperity toss', yee sang (also called 'yu sheng' in Chinese, or 'lo hei' in Cantonese) is a salad usually enjoyed during Chinese New Year festivities in Malaysia. It is a symbol of abundance, prosperity, and vigor, and usually consists of a variety of colourful ingredients including fresh vegetables, fruits, crackers, and usually raw fish (most commonly salmon). It is a must-have during CNY meals and gatherings, and is fun, delicious, and healthy!

With the rise of COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks and half the nation on MCO for now, Chinese New Year 2021 is probably going to be a quiet one spent with smaller groups of family and friends. For those who are hosting intimate Chinese New Year meals at home, check out our easy recipe for whipping up a nice, vibrant, and delicious plate of homemade yee sang that will wow your guests!

Easy Homemade Yee Sang Recipe

Honestly, you can add all sorts of vegetables and fruits you like into your homemade yee sang. In fact, there has been a lot of creative renditions of the dish - including yee sang with avocado and even truffles! You can even add more premium ingredients like abalone or scallops. Pick and choose from this list of typical ingredients you can include in your yee sang.

Typical ingredients:

Carrot
Capsicum
White, red, and green radish
Turnips
Pickled ginger
Red cabbage
Coriander
Onions
Cucumber
Salmon (fresh or smoked depending on your liking)
Jelly fish (sold fresh or prepacked in supermarkets)
Pomelo
Mango
Mandarin oranges
Dumpling/wonton wrappers

Ingredients for dressing:

1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp five-spice powder

Additional toppings (for when serving):

1/3 cup plum sauce
Sesame seeds
Roasted/crushed peanuts
Lime or lemon, juiced

Instructions:

Cut your dumpling/wonton wrappers into strips.
Deep fry wrappers until golden brown (approximately 30 secs - 1 min).
Remove from oil and store in air tight container until ready to use!
Shred vegetables of your choice into fine long strips and cut up the fruits into smaller pieces - make sure you place all ingredients separately and don't mix them up.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small pan over medium heat, stir constantly to ensure ingredients are well mixed.
Remove and place slightly thickened dressing sauce into a small bowl.
Arrange vegetables and fruits into individual sections on a large platter - place the salmon in the middle, and sprinkle on the fried wonton wrappers.
Once everyone is gathered around the table and ready to lou, drizzle dressing over vegetables, sprinkle sesame seeds and crushed peanuts on top as well.
Start tossing the salad using chopsticks and enjoy fresh!

How To Eat Yee Sang?

It is believed that the higher you toss the yee sang, the better luck you'll get in the new year! Prepare chopsticks for the tossing, and get ready for a small mess depending on how 'rowdy' your guests are. Well wishes are usually recited while drizzling the dressing over your yee sang.

What To Say During The Yee Sang Ritual?

Did you know that different yee sang ingredients have different meanings and significance? While the waiter or waitress serving you you will typically recite the well wishes if you're enjoying yee sang at a restaurant, you're on your own if you're preparing it for a home gathering! Here are some phrases you can recite as you add on different ingredients to your yee sang - begin once everyone is gathered around the table.

Say da ji da li (大吉大利) as you squeeze lime over the dish.
Say nian nian you yu (年年有余) as you add the fish/salmon on.
Say cai yuan guang jin (财源广进) as you pour the dressing oil in a circular motion.
Say tian tian mi mi (甜甜蜜蜜) as you drizzle the plum sauce.
Say wu gu feng shou (五谷丰收) as you add on the sesame seeds and nuts.
Say jin yu man tang (金玉满堂) when you top off the dish with fried crisps.
Start tossing! Some wishes everyone can say while tossing: gong xi fa cai (恭喜发财), shen ti jian kang (身体健康), wan shi ru yi (万事如意), lou hei, huat ahhhh.

Skip The Hassle, Order Your CNY Meal On Klook!

Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

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