How to Lao Yu Sheng (Lo Hei)

Yusheng, yee sang or yuu sahng (Chinese: 鱼生), or Prosperity Toss, also known as lo hei (Cantonese for 撈起 or 捞起) is a Teochew-style raw fish salad.

It is customary to gather your families and friends to toss the ingredients while saying auspicious well-wishes out loud to usher in good luck. Traditionally, Yusheng plays on the homonyms where “yu” 魚 means “fish” but enunciated appropriately, it also means 馀 “abundance”; and “sheng” 生 means literally “raw” but enunciated appropriately, it means “life”. Thus Yusheng implies “abundance of wealth and long life”. In Cantonese it is known as “lo sheng” with “lo” 捞 also meaning “tossing up good fortune”. The tossing action is called “Lo Hei”, which means to “rise” (起 “hei”), again a reference to a thriving business and thus its popularity with businessmen during the New Year. Hence it is believed the higher you toss the ingredients in the salad, the greater your fortunes will be.

When preparing the dish at the table, auspicious words are usually spoken (or SHOUTED) as the different items are added in.

Step 1: Everyone at the table offer sincere well-wishes to everyone.
恭喜发财 (Gong Xi Fa Cai) meaning “Congratulations for your wealth”

万事如意 (Wan Shi Ru Yi) meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled”

Step 2: The pomelo or lime is added over fish, adding both luck and auspicious value.
大吉大利 (Da Ji Da Li) meaning “Good luck and smooth sailing”

Step 3: Fish, symbolising abundance or excess through the year, is added.
年年有余 (Nian Nian You Yu) meaning “Abundance through the year”

Step 4: Pepper & Cinnamon Powder is then dashed over the ingredients in the hope of attracting more money and valuables.
招财进宝 (Zhao Cai Jin Bao) meaning “Attract wealth and treasures”

Step 5: Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients to increase all profits 10,000 times and encouraging money to flow in from all directions
本万利 (Yi Ben Wan Li) meaning “Make 10,000 times of profit with your capital”

Step 6: Chopped Peanut bits are dusted on the dish symbolising a household filled with gold and silver. As an icon of longevity, peanuts also symbolise eternal youth.
金银满屋 (Jin Yin Man Wu) meaning “Household filled with gold and silver”

Step 7: Sesame seeds quickly follow symbolising a flourishing business.
生意兴隆 (Sheng Yi Xing Long) meaning “Prosperity for the business”

Step 8: Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows is then added with wishes that literally the whole floor would be filled with gold.
满地黄金 (Man Di Huang Jin) meaning “Floor full of gold”

Step 9: Plum sauce

Plum Sauce – 甜甜蜜蜜 (Tian Tian Mi Mi) meaning “May sweetness enters your life”

Step 10: All toss the salad an auspicious 7 times with loud shouts of “lo hei” 捞起 and other auspicious New Year wishes.
Lo hei 捞起 which is Cantonese for “tossing luck”.

The ingredients are mixed by pushing them toward the centre, an encouragement to push on the good luck of all at the table. If you can’t finish the salad, don’t worry, as usually a small amount is left behind to signify abundance.

Step: Carrots are added to the fish indicating blessings of good luck.
鸿运当头 (Hong Yun Dang Tou) meaning “Good luck is approaching”

Step: Then the shredded green radish is placed symbolising eternal youth.
青春常驻 (Qing Chun Chang Zhu) meaning “Forever young”

Step: The shredded white radish – prosperity in business and promotion at work.
风生水起 (Feng Sheng Shui Qi) meaning “Progress at a fast pace”, or

步步高升 (Bu Bu Gao Sheng) meaning “Reaching higher level with each step”

Who invented the Yusheng?

While versions of it are thought to have existed in China, the contemporary version is created and popularised[citation needed] in the 1960s amongst the ethnic Chinese community and its consumption has been associated with Chinese New Year festivities in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. In Malaysia and Singapore, government, community and business leaders often take the lead in serving the dish as part of official functions during the festive period or in private celebrity dinners.

So according to wikipedia the Origin of Yusheng was said to be originated from Guangzhou when the fishermen along the coast of Guangzhou traditionally celebrated Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, by feasting on their catches. The practice of eating raw fish in thinly sliced strips can be traced back to ancient China through the raw fish or meat dish known as kuai (膾, kuài). This made me wonder the idea of eating Sashimi came from China too?

However the present form of yusheng is believed to have started in Chaozhou and Shantou as far back as the Southern Song Dynasty[citation needed].

Have you heard of the legend behind Yusheng?

Written in wikipedia , it was believed that in south China, a young man and his girlfriend found themselves stranded by bad weather at a temple with nothing to eat but they managed to catch a carp. Chancing upon a bottle of vinegar, they added this to the stripped carp and found it quite appetising. In Malaya’s colonial past, migrants imported this tradition; porridge stalls sold a raw fish dish which is believed to have originated in Jiangmen, Guangdong province that consisted of fish, turnip and carrot strips, which was served with condiments of oil, vinegar and sugar that were mixed in by customers.

Modern Yusheng was created by “Four Heavenly Culinary Kings” of Singapore

Eating Yu Sheng during Chinese New Year is a cultural activity for Chinese living in Singapore and Malaysia, but not so much in other Chinese-populated countries such as Hong Kong, where the practice is almost unheard of. According to wikipedia, this may be due to the origins of the dish, which was created by 4 master chefs in a Singapore restaurant kitchen way back in 1964, then still part of the Federation of Malaya. It made its debut during Lunar New Year of 1964 in Singapore’s Lai Wah Restaurant (Established in Sept. 1963).  The 4 master chefs were Than Mui Kai (Tham Yu Kai, co-head chef of Lai Wah Restaurant), Lau Yoke Pui (co-head chef of Lai Wah Restaurant), Hooi Kok Wai (Founder of Dragon-Phoenix Restaurant) and Sin Leong (Founder of Sin Leong Restaurant) who, together created that as a symbol of prosperity and good health amongst the Chinese . All four Chefs were named as the “Four Heavenly Culinary Kings” of Singapore some 40 years ago for their culinary prowess and ingenuity.

In 1970s, Lai Wah Restaurant started the modern-day method of serving Yu Sheng with a pre-mixed special sauce comprising plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and sesame oil — instead of customers mixing inconsistently-concocted sauce.

Diastasis Recti (Abdominal Separation)

Avoid all activities that place stress on the midline, that stretch or overly expand the abdominal wall through everyday activities, exercises, or breathing technique.

Some types of Movement to Avoid

• Movements where the upper body twists and the arm on that side extends away from body such as "triangle pose."
• Exercises that require lying backward over a large exercise ball.
• Yoga postures that stretch the abs, such as "cow pose," up-dog," all back bends, and "belly breathing."
• Abdominal exercises that flex the upper spine such as: crunches, Oblique curls, "bicycles," roll ups/roll downs etc.
• Pilates mat and reformer exercises that utilize the "head float" position, upper body flexion, or double leg extension.
• Any exercise that causes your abdominal wall to bulge out upon exertion.
• Lifting and carrying very heavy objects.
• Quadruped exercises without adequate abdominal support.
• Intense coughing without abdominal support.

Recipe: Rendang

Ingredients A

• 14 shallots
• 7 garlic
• 100g red chili big + 3 cili padi
• 1 thumb ginger
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder

Ingredients B

• 5 lemon grass white parts
• 3 pcs bay leaves
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 2 turmeric leaves
• 1 star anise
• 1 thumb galangal

Method

1. Wash 1 kg chicken
2. Grind all ingredients A. Mix with chicken in the wok and out on fire. Cook until the chicken changes color.
3. Add ingredients B, light santan. Cook until the gravy thicken a bit and slow down fire.
4. Add thick santan, kerisik and adjust taste with salt, sugar and asam keping.

Recipe: Hakka Noodle

1. Beat 2-4 eggs and add little salt.
2. Cook omelette.
3. Roll and cut finely.

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1. Marinate chicken fillet with lime and little salt.
2. Pan-fry them.
3. Cool them and slice them nicely.

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1. Put egg noodle into boiling water and cook until al dente.
2. Remove and rinse under running water.
3. Apply little oil onto noodle lightly to keep them non-sticky.
4. Prepare mixture of 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp rice white vinegar in a bowl.

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Cooking:

1. Heat oil on high flame. Add 2 garlic till fragrant.
2. Add spring onion whites, carrots julienne and french beans.
3. Add capsicum and shredded cabbage. They should be still crunchy. Not to overcook.
4. Add in mixture.
5. Add noodle, green spring onions, pepper powder.
6. Toss them.
7. Garnish with egg rolls, chicken slices and chopped coriander leave.
8. Serve hot with green chili padi in white vinegar.

Kung Pao Chicken

1. Toast 1 tbsp Szechuan peppercorns until lightly golden. Grind into fine powder and sieve.
2. Prepare mixture of 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice wine white vinegar and 1 tbsp honey in a bowl.
3. Prepare combination of 1 tbsp cornflour and 2 tbsp water.

Cooking:

1. Chop chicken into bite-sized chunks and toss in cornflour to coat.
2. Fry the chicken until golden brown. Put aside.
3. Heat oil. Add garlic (4 cloves) and ginger slices until golden brown.
4. Add spring onions and 4 dried red chilies.
5. Add soy mixture. 
6. Add Szechuan pepper powder.
7. Thicken with cornflour paste.
8. Add fried chicken and toss until warm through.
9. Add toasted 50g cashew nuts.
10. Garnish with coriander leave.

Corn chicken soup

1. Little oil. Garlic.
2. Water.
3. Chicken stock cube.
4. Add breast fillet. Off the heat and cover for 15 minutes.
5. Remove poached chicken fillet. Once cool, shred it.
6. Add half can of creamed corn. 
7. Add cornflour paste to thicken the soup slightly.
8. Add black pepper and salt to taste.
9. Add shreded chicken.
10. Slowly pour beaten egg white and constantly stir with a fork.
11. Garnish with coriander leave.
12. Serve hot.

Manchurian balls

For the veg manchurian balls:

• 1 cup finely chopped cabbage
• Little carrot
• Little capsicum
• 2 tbsp spring onion
• Black pepper and salt to taste
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp corn starch

Fry till golden brown.

Preparing the sauce:

1. Heat oil. Fry 2 tbsp chopped onion/scallion whites, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tbsp garlic, green chilies on high flame but DO NOT brown them.
2. Add water, 1tbsp soy sauce and black pepper. Simmer awhile.
3. Add cornflour paste to thicken the sauce.
4. Add 1 tbsp black vinegar, salt and sugar.
5. Add fried veg balls and simmer for a minute.
6. Garnish with spring onion greens.