Yu Sheng (Prosperity Toss Salad)

Name: Prosperity Toss Salad Recipe
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D0H5M
Total time: PT0D0H5M
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 cup red cabbage, shredded; ½ cup shredded carrots; 6 oz. sashimi-grade salmon or smoked salmon, thinly sliced; 1 cup fried wonton strips; ½ cup pomelo, peeled and diced; ¼ cup pickled ginger, thinly sliced; ¼ cup pickled radish; ¼ cup Japanese-style seaweed salad; ¼ cup sweet chile sauce; 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil; ½ Tbsp. sesame seeds; ⅛ tsp. finely ground white pepper

Grab your loved ones and make this fortune-filled salad to ring in Lunar New Year on an auspicious note.

Serves
4
Time
5 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIMBERLY PARK

By Alex Au-Yeung

Published on January 20, 2023

In Malaysia and Singapore, the Lunar New Year celebration isn’t complete without a big platter of yu sheng, or yee sang, also known as prosperity toss salad. The dish’s Chinese name translates literally as “raw fish”, which refers to the recipe’s featured ingredient. Fish is a holiday must-have because the Chinese word for fish is a homophone for abundance, or surplus. And that isn’t the only ingredient traditionally included for its auspicious meaning. Alex Au-Yeung, the chef and owner of Phat Eatery in Katy, Texas, includes sweet chile sauce, representing strong and affectionate bonds among loved ones; ginger, symbolizing health and longevity; and crispy fried wonton strips, denoting wealth and prosperity. True to the eclectic cuisines of Malaysia and Singapore, Au-Yeung’s recipe also draws inspiration from throughout Asia and includes ingredients like Japanese-style seaweed salad. During the Lunar New Year dinner, friends and family grab chopsticks and gather around the table to collectively toss this salad together. It’s said that the higher it’s tossed, the more good fortune the new year will bring.

To make the wonton strips, Au-Yeung recommends slicing and deep-frying them at home, or buying them premade at your local Asian grocer.

Featured in: “Welcome to America’s Most Underrated Food Destination, Where Lunar New Year Is for Everyone,” by Megan Zhang.

Ingredients

1 cup red cabbage, shredded
½ cup shredded carrots
6 oz. sashimi-grade salmon or smoked salmon, thinly sliced
1 cup fried wonton strips
½ cup pomelo, peeled and diced
¼ cup pickled ginger, thinly sliced
¼ cup pickled radish
¼ cup Japanese-style seaweed salad
¼ cup sweet chile sauce
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
½ Tbsp. sesame seeds
⅛ tsp. finely ground white pepper

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Instructions

Step 1

In the center of a large platter, arrange the cabbage in a mound, then place the carrots in a smaller mound on top. Top with the salmon, arranging the slices in a circle. Place the wonton strips, pomelo, pickled ginger, pickled radish, and seaweed salad in smaller individual mounds around the cabbage.

Step 2

At the table, drizzle the sweet chile sauce in a circular motion over the entire salad. Repeat with the sesame oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and white pepper. Give everyone at the table a pair of chopsticks, and toss the salad together. Serve immediately.

In the center of a large platter, arrange the cabbage in a mound, then place the carrots in a smaller mound on top. Top with the salmon, arranging the slices in a circle. Place the wonton strips, pomelo, pickled ginger, pickled radish, and seaweed salad in smaller individual mounds around the cabbage.
At the table, drizzle the sweet chile sauce in a circular motion over the entire salad. Repeat with the sesame oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and white pepper. Give everyone at the table a pair of chopsticks, and toss the salad together. Serve immediately.