Zor Tan, who is the chef and owner of the Michelin-starred Restaurant Born in Singapore, was in Los Angeles recently to cook a collaborative dinner with 88 Club’s Mei Lin. One of the dishes on the menu was yu sheng, a Lunar New Year specialty known by several other names, including lo hei or prosperity toss. Made with raw fish and thin, long slices of vegetables and fruit, it’s a wonderful salad to serve any time of the year. But during Lunar New Year celebrations, especially on the seventh day (Feb. 23 this year), families and friends often gather around the yu sheng platter and then toss the salad with their chopsticks while shouting “Huat ah!” or other wishes for prosperity and good fortune in the new year.
The fish can be any sashimi-grade fish — Tan used hiramasa, which is also called yellowtail kingfish. There is flexibility in the other components too. Carrots are considered key for good luck blessings. Green daikon symbolizes eternal youth, as does cucumber, which can also mean a fresh start, while white daikon is considered good for business success. Sometimes Tan uses strips of purple cabbage (associated with the wish for a large and prosperous family), but in the Times Test Kitchen he used green apple, pineapple and candied orange, all of which are considered auspicious. In place of peanuts, which are traditional, Tan likes pecans. And though plum sauce is often used to dress the salad, chef Tan likes to use yuzu for his dressing, giving his yu sheng a bright, tangy quality. For added crispness, Tan fries strips of spring roll wrappers (not rice paper, but wheat-based wrappers, sometimes called spring roll pastry).
You want to cut the vegetables in long strips for longevity. If you don’t have a mandoline, a sharp knife will also work. Note that this recipe calls for toasted white sesame seeds, which are available in most Asian markets, but Tan usually toasts raw white seeds himself. If you want to do this, toast the seeds at 320 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.
