Over here in Malaysia, the Chinese New Year celebration is always accompanied with using one’s chopsticks and tossing this platter known as Yee Sang. A traditional Yee Sang platter includes daikon (white radish), sweet turnip, salmon, carrots, peanuts, crackers, pickled ginger and a variety of other colourful vegetables, some condiments such as sesame seeds and crushed peanuts and a sticky sweet sauce to bring it all together!
Family and friends gather to toss the salad together, a practice known as the Prosperity Toss.
The aim is to toss higher each time, while wishing each other good fortune for the year. It’s believed the blessings are woven into the salad with each toss, before being enjoyed by all.
Popularly enjoyed in restaurants, the platter can also be purchased in a pack for a celebration at home. All ingredients come packed neatly in addition to the sauce and condiments. However last year, I decided to attempt making it myself. The results were DELISH! There are some ingredients which I omit in my platter such as pickled ginger and five spice powder.
WIth the help of my food processor, all the fresh vegetables were ready in a jiffy. I shred the carrot, cucumber, daikon and sweet turnip and keep aside separately.
I also add Pomelo to the Yee Sang. Pomelo is very much like grapefruit but sweeter. It’s quite a pain to get the flesh out so I get Mr Grocer Man to help retrieve the flesh and pack it up nicely. It’s refreshing and very juicy.
The crunch factor is our FAVOURITE. All you need to do is get some wonton or dumpling skin from the cold section of the grocer, cut into strips and deep fry. We love this as a snack on its own too!
Another item which can be prepped ahead of time is adding red food colouring to some shredded yam and deep frying those. You can also add green food colouring to a separate batch of yam and use those instead of cucumber to get the ‘green’ element. Keep this and the deep fried wonton skin in air tight containers until ready to plate. Also don’t forget the salmon, garnished with a lime wedge. I use smoked salmon slices.
Since the year 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese Zodiac Calendar, I made this cute bunny Yee Sang platter with the help of my daughter. I used pomelo, carrot, cucumber, sweet turnip, fried wonton skin, sesame seeds and coriander.
No Yee Sang is complete without a sauce. The sauce is poured on JUST before tossing. I’ve made two versions of sauces (for 2 separate Yee Sang platters) and included both options below. You just need to mix the ingredients together to form the sauce.
When everyone is gathered around the table, squeeze the lime onto the smoked salmon, transfer the salmon onto the platter, sprinkle on the condiments, add the sauce/dressing and toss toss!
Did you try this recipe?
Please do let me know if you've tried it, by leaving a comment or tagging me on IG @thesuddencook.
Homemade Yee Sang
Ingredients
- 1 Carrot Shredded
- 1 Small Sweet Turnip/Sengkuang Shredded
- 1 Daikon Shredded
- 1 Yam Separate in two batches. Add red food colouring to one batch and green to the other. Deep fry yam strips. Alternatively use cucumber to get the green element in the platter.
- 1 Pomelo You won't need all the flesh. Remainder can be juiced or enjoyed on its own.
- Wonton/Dumping Skin Cut in strips and deep fry
Condiments
- Sesame Seeds
- Crushed Peanuts
Options for Sauces: Sauce (1) - Mix together
- 1/3 cup Apricot Jam
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1-2 tbsp soya sauce
- 1 tbsp peanut butter
- 2 tbsp water or more to thin out sauce
Sauce (2) - Mix together
- 1/3 cup Apricot Jam
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Arrange all ingredients on plate. Get sauce and condiments ready. Add just before tossing. Enjoy!
Wow so many awesome ingredients in one dish!
Yes it really is the best salad!
Love this! Thank you for sharing the family Prosperity Toss tradition. I lived in Southeast Asia for a few years and never heard of it. I am making the salad, but I won’t be doing the toss. My husband is a bit of a character, and I don’t think giving him the opportunity to throw food is a good idea. 🙂 Happy New Year!
haha we toss not throw! It really is a very nice salad:)