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Yu Sheng
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Yu Sheng (Raw Fish)
Apart from all these dumplings, the yu sheng (raw fish) eaten on the 7th day of the Lunar New Year is also a traditional food eaten by Chinese in Singapore. It is a treat for sashimi lovers. The combination of shredded carrots, Chinese radish (daikon), pickled shallots, two kinds of shredded ginger, and raw fish in a sweet-sour plum sauce dressing is refreshing and a distinctively Malaysianised Chinese food.
Ikan parang (wolf herring) is the preferred fish for this dish because of its delicate taste, but it is bony. So, the cook deals with the tiny bones by cutting the fish across the grain into very thin slices. The slices contain minuscule flecks of bone which can be eaten. Raw tuna and salmon can be substitutions as well as expensive abalone. The following is the recipe of this prosperity-symbolising food:
Ingredients:
¼ pound very fresh tuna (about 6 x 2 x ½ inches)
2 cups finely shredded Chinese white radish (daikon)
2 cups finely shredded carrot
Dressing:
2/3 cup bottled plum sauce
½ cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar
Salt to taste
Marinade:
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
¼ teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon five-spice powder
Juice of ½ lemon
1-inch chunk fresh ginger, preferably young ginger, shredded paper thin
1/3 cup finely shredded sweet pickled ginger (bottled)
8 pickled shallots, finely shredded (about 1/3 cup)
7 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded with scissors
1 large red jalapeño chile, seeded and finely shredded
2 green onions, green part only, finely shredded
¼ bunch fresh coriander, leaves only
¼ cup chopped peanuts
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Chinese shrimp chips, for garnish
Procedure:
- Remove any bones from the fish. Freeze it until firm, then cut it across the grain into paper-thin slices, about 2 inches long.
- Set aside in the refridgerator.
- In separate bowls, cover the finely shredded radish and carrots with cold water.
- Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
- To make the dressing, mix the plum sauce and water together.
- Strain into a bowl. Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan over low heat.
- Add the plum sauce, sugar, and salt.
- Cook until the sugar dissolves. Cool.
- Mix the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Add the fish slices and toss.
- Mound the fish in the center of a platter.
- Raise the carrots and radish and squeeze out the excess water.
- Surround the fish with radish and carrot shreds.
- Scatter the two gingers, shallots, lime leaves, chile, green onions, and coriander leaves over the fish.
- Top with peanuts and sesame seeds.
- Spoon half of the dressing over the salad.
 
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