Fa Cai ( Fatt Choy) Yee Sang 鱼生 for Chinese New Year Celebration

The dish is kind of 'Love at First Sight' for novice and
'Forever My Love' for those who have tried.
No Chinese New Year feast is complete without Yee Sang. It is served throughout the Lunar New Year celebration.

Yee Sang ( 鱼生) dish originated in China as early as the year 220, during the 6-faction era. Essentially a salad made up of more than 20 ingredients, it is often served as a starter or entre'. Besides the raw fish, another important ingredient is the shredded radish which is considered to be effective as a 'cleansing agent' to wash down some of the oily remnants of the festive cuisine.

Originally, it was served only on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, which is everybody's day ( 人日). Now it is served as early as weeks ahead, and on official government functions too. 

根據中國古書記載，初七是眾人的生日，俗稱“人日”，也是眾人劫後餘生的日子，所以過了年關，大家都以撈生作為轉運的好時光。

在人日當天，古人以7種菜為羹，作為七日的象徵。七彩羹源自六朝時代，也是今天七彩魚生的出處，吃了由七種蔬菜烹煮而成的食物之後，就意味著春節告一段落，從年初八開始，每個人都得腳踏實地過日子。

The good thing about Yee Sang is that it is easy to prepare. Ingredients, though numerous, as many as up to 30, are substitutable, optional and variable in amount. It is up to your fancy as long as you do not get too carried away by your creativity!

Yee Sang ( 鱼生) is a must have dish for Chinese New Year celebration, beckoning wishes to be granted as we toss the colorful ingredients high and in unison, bearing the same dream of prosperity and fortune.

Presently it is most popular in Malaysia and Singapore, rapidly gaining grounds in Asia, the China towns of the US as in New York, Washington, Britain and Europe.

The dish is kind of 'Love at First Sight' for novice and 'Forever My Love' for those who have tried. Its ever rising popularity is probably due to 2 main reasons:

• Its ( 鱼生) homophonic meaning of surplus (money), prosperity, good luck and vigor.
• The serving itself is fun-filled, as everybody is a chef too.  Family members and friends gather round the table each holding a pair of chopsticks. In their most joyous mood, they toss the ingredients with chopsticks held as high as possible in unison, while shouting aloud all their wishes to mark the start of a prosperous Chinese New Year. It is believed that the higher you toss, the more will be your good fortunes!

A well-tossed salad:! Tossing of a super yee sang with extra long chopsticks at an official function in Malaysia.

Ingredients (Serve 12):

Procedure

1.		Arrange all the ingredients (A) neatly in a big round plate.
2.		Add the marinated seafood (B) on top in the center.
3		Add the crispy ingredients (C).
4		Add the spices and dressing (D).
5.		Start tossing, missing and shouting all your wishes.
6.		Serve your portion in a small bowl or plate. Eat heartily, cherishing the hope that all the wishes you just made will come true!

 

 

sssSSH....Grandma said:

Do not be frightened by the number of ingredients mentioned above, as the whole pax can be easily available and conveniently packed at the Chinese grocery shop.

	You will see the array of Yee Sang ingredients at any Chinese restaurant during Chinese New Year celebrations.

You may want to try the different types of seafood Yee Sang:

Fatt Choy Abalone Yee Sang

Good Luck Mango Yee Sang

Rainbow Salmon Yee Sang

Prosperous Carp Yee Sang

Vegetarian Abalone Yee Sang