Alternative names | Lou Sang, Yee Sang, Yu Sheng, Jyu4 Saang1, Lo Hei, Prosperity Toss |
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Region or state | East and Southeast Asia |
Associated cuisine | Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia (traditionally consumed during Chinese New Year) |
Main ingredients | Raw fish (or soy fish for the vegetarian version), shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments |
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Chinese cuisine |
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Yusheng, yee sang or yuu sahng (Chinese: 魚生; pinyin: yúshēng; Jyutping: jyu4saang1), or Prosperity Toss, also known as lo sahng (Cantonese for 撈生) is a Malaysian/Singaporean-style raw fish salad. It usually consists of strips of raw fish (sometimes salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. There is also a vegetarian version of this dish, where the fish is replaced with soy "fish", which resembles salmon. Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish" (魚) is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance" (餘), Yúshēng (魚生) is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng (餘升), meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor.
The dish originated from China but modern takes of the dish existed in both Malaysia and Singapore with both countries having competitive claims over who first modified the dish to its modern version. Today, the common form of yusheng is the qicai yusheng (七彩魚生; "seven-coloured raw fish salad") served in local restaurants during the Chinese New Year period. Also referred to as facai yusheng (發財魚生; "prosperity raw fish salad") or xinnian yusheng (新年魚生; "Chinese New Year raw fish salad"). The recipe generally includes ingredients such as shredded white and green radish and carrots, ginger slices, onion slices, crushed peanuts, pomelo, pepper, essence of chicken, oil, salt, vinegar, sugar and more.
Yusheng during Chinese New Year is a cultural activity for the Chinese population in Malaysia and Singapore and recently become popular although not historically practiced in Indonesia,[1] Thailand and Hong Kong over the last few decades.