No I didn't sing! I have sung but this time...Yee Sang! What a delicious dish!
Today I went to a cooking class put on by the American Association of Malaysia. It's a group of expat ladies who get together (in whatever country they happen to be living in at the time...really, they're everywhere)and do fun activities such as quilting, cooking, cultural events and so on. Today, we learned all about the Chinese New Year and the foods prepared for that day. This one...Yee Sang...was my favorite. Never in this world would I have imagined that a salad would be my favorite. And you know me...it didn't contain CHicken, CHeese, CHocolate or CHilies so it wasn't at the top of my "Must Try" mental list.
Judy Loh, the instructor, gave us all the details. Chinese everything is so full of symbolism and the Chinese New Year is no exception. Instead of telling you what each and everything stands for, let me summarize by saying that nearly every symbol of the Chinese New Year means Prosperity, Blessings, Luck or Fortune. Even the tossing of the salad...the higher you toss the salad, the more blessings you'll receive.
So here are the ingredients to make Yee Sang. I hope you will attempt this as it is no more difficult than preparing a chef salad in your home. And the flavor will keep you coming back for more! I'm quite sure you can find these ingredients in Asian markets or possibly in the Asian food section of larger grocery stores.
Yee Sang
# 1 C white radish, shredded
# 1 c carrot, shredded
# 1 c mango, shredded
# 1/2 c spring onions, shredded
# 1 red chilli, shredded
# 3/4 C pickled papaya, shredded
# 6 pickled leeks, shredded (or non pickled is fine)
# 1 c pomelo wedges, peeled and separate the sacs (substitute mandarin orange)
# 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded (substitute 1/4 c Lemon or Lime Zest)
# Just under 1/4 C young ginger, finely shredded
# 1 pair yao char kwai, sliced thinly and deep-fried until crispy (see note)
# 1 c sweet potato, finely shredded
# 1/3 c toasted sesame seeds
# 1/2 c roasted peanuts, pounded
Sauce ingredients (cook and cool)
# 1 c plum sauce
# 1 tbsp apricot jam
# 3 tbsp lime juice
# 3 tbsp honey
# 1 tbsp sesame paste
# 1 tsp sesame oil
# 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
10g Chinese five spice powder, put into a red packet
Method
Deep-fry shredded sweet potatoes in hot oil until crispy. Drain. Add sliced yao char kwai pieces to the hot oil. Deep-fry until lightly golden and crispy. Remove from oil and drain well on crushed kitchen paper.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a low simmering boil. Leave aside to cool completely before use.
Arrange the shredded ingredients attractively on a big, round serving platter.
To serve, pour the sauce over the yee sang and sprinkle the with five-spice powder.
Add a sprinkling of sesame seeds and roasted peanuts.
Note - You can substitute deep fried wonton skins for yao char kwai. Cut them into thin strips and deep fry quickly in oil. Don't let them over-brown. About one cup is nice.
When all of the ingredients have been prepped, they are placed in mounds on a large platter. The seasonings, oils, sauces etc (anything not a veggie) is sprinkled on top by those sitting around the table. Everyone grabs a pair of chopsticks and yells out "Xīnnián kuàilè" 新年快乐 which translates Happy New Year while tossing the salad high in the air. Thank heavens blogs are written and not verbal...I would have butchered that phrase just as I did during the dinner. ;) Happy Chinese New Year everyone!!
Just from my experience (and hearing the oooos and aaahhhs of the ladies at the cooking show, if you make this salad once, you will find reasons to make it again and again! It's really quite tasty!
Enjoy!
With love in the mix,
Shannon
