 In my most recent visit, I had the opportunity to
learn about a uniquely Singaporean dish from local
culinary expert and cookbook author, Sylvia Tan
(Singapore Heritage Book, Landmark Books, 2004)
Most Americans associate raw fish with Japanese
cuisine, although many other Asian and non-Asian
cultures use these uncooked delicacies from the
water by preparing and serving them in distinctly
different, and sometimes not that different styles.
"Lo Yu Sang", sometimes referred to as "Lo Hei",
or raw fish salad, is truly a Singaporean invention.
According to Tan and several other Singaporean chefs,
this dish was created by four Cantonese chefs living
in Singapore in the fifties. Tham Yue Kai, Sin Leong,
Hooi Kik Wai and Lau Yeok Pui tried to create a
"gimmicky" dish to attract more business to their
restaurant during the highly competitive Lunar New
Year period.
There was no lack of seasonal dish designed to go
on the table as celebration during Lunar New Year.
Apart from the cakes, sweets, melon seeds and fried
snacks, many traditional dishes started out with
the name of the dish or ingredients having similar
sound to auspicious terms and greetings. For instance,
braised dried oysters with black moss with some
vegetables "fat choy ho see" has always been considered
an ideal dish to be served during this time, as
the sound of the dish is similar to "prosperity
and good business." One does not need to read Chinese
to notice "fat choy" is phonetically identical to
part of the actual Chinese New Year greetings "kung hei fat choy!"
These four ingenious chefs decided to create a dish
which has that exact quality. The term "lo", is
a verb meaning mix, is also suggestive of prosperity.
"Hei" means "rise", "up" implying prosperity. "Sang",
meaning raw, suggests "life" or "vitality". As a
promotion, these four Singaporean marketing gurus
created "lo yu sang", literally meaning mixing raw
fish, now more ingrained as "lo hei", and has become
another standard Lunar New Year greeting.
The secret of the dish's instant success, as well
as its enduring popularity, is the appeal to engage
everyone around the table in a ceremonial tossing
and mixing ritual. This signature dish was designed
to be a strategy to encourage more bookings at their
restaurant, to attract more business from the traditional
New Year meals where bosses and workers come together
to enjoy a meal, with the hope of a prosperous year
ahead. The recipe calls for a mountain of shredded
vegetables topped with some thinly sliced raw fish
to be tossed by the whole table using chopsticks,
chanting popular New Year greetings at the same
time, to demonstrate family togetherness during
Chinese New Year.
Interestingly, marinated sliced raw fish often
wolf herring, is a popular ingredient used in congee
Cantonese style. "Yu Sang Jook" has been a fixture
on the menu of many Cantonese restaurants all over
the region. The fish is actually cooked in the boiling
hot porridge, along with thinly sliced ginger and
scallion.
This Singaporean dish has been immortalized and
modernized over the years, with smoked salmon slices
frequently used as substitute for the original raw
fish slices. There are even Japanese and Thai versions
of the dish as well.
As someone who believes in maintaining the internal
harmony for health, I personally love to serve and
entertain with this dish, loaded with "cooling"
vegetables. It will provide a great counterbalance
to BBQ meat and grilled everything else so frequently
served as a backyard favorite. Moreover, how fun
it is to engage all your chopsticks welding guests
for a joyful tossing and "toasting"
session!
America is a place where we can get away with eating
mooncakes year round, so nothing will prevent us
from enjoying this dish outside the Lunar New Year
period.
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Ingredients
Recipe (courtesy of Sylvia Tan)
Serves 10
6 ounces sliced smoked salmon (or sashimi grade
raw fish which can be sliced paper thin)
Salad:
2 carrots, finely shredded
2 small Chinese radish, finely shredded
1 cup of pomelo sacs or grapefruit sacs (seeds and
membrane removed) |
Dressing:
1/2 jar Yeo's plum sauce
1 cup vegetable oil
Juice from 4 limes or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp five-spice powder
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Toppings:
2 Tps picked ginger strips
2 Tps fresh ginger strips
4 picked leeks, finely shredded
1 Tps candied winter melon, finely chopped (optional)
1 Tps candied orange peel, finely chopped (optional) |
Garnishes:
4 red chillies, cut into strips
2 stalks Chinese celery (or cilantro), with leaves
plucked and stems cut into short lengths
2 kiffir lime leaves, finely shredded
1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tsp white sesame seeds
1 cup fried wonton strips (or crutons) |
Method
1) Prepare the toppings, garnishes and dressing
in advance. Basically everything needs to be shredded
finely. Store separately in the fridge until use.
2) Place dressing ingredients in a large screwtop jar
and shake vigorously till combined. Store in fridge until
needed.
3) If using raw fish, keep in freezer until semi-frozen
for easy slicing. Leave in fridge until ready to serve.
4) Using a shredder, shred peeled carrot and radish into
thin strips.
5) To assemble, place shredded vegetables on a very large
plate (big enough for tossing without spilling), arranging
the contrast colors for better presentation.
6) Top with the picked and candied ingredients. Arrange
fish slices on top.
7) Garnish with fresh chillies, herbs and crunchies.
8) Bring to the table, hand out chopsticks to everyone.
9) Pour dressing over dish just before everyone joins
in the tossing of the salad.
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