Eating Yee Sang during Chinese New Year
Yee Sang is a fish salad that is eaten in Malaysia during the Chinese New Year. The seventh day of the New Year is known as "yan yat" (day of humanity). Each day of the new year is named after an animal. The seventh day, named after humanity, is a day which is traditionally celebrated as everyones birthday. It was not historically normal for the commoner to have a birthday party so this was a way to remember birthdays. Yee Sang is eaten in Malaysia through out the new year now but originally it was presented as a dish on the seventh day. Yee means fish and Sang means toss. However Sang as it is pronounced can also mean rise up or give birth. Yee can also mean prosperity. The whole wordplay thing is very much a part of Chinese culture. The rule of yee sang is that the dish itself must be very colourful. It usually consists of coloured flour strips (such as the "chow mein" that some westerners add to salads) in red and green. Also shredded carrot, pickled papaya, shredded radish and ginger which has been dyed red and green. Crispy strips of fried stuff is added and some nuts (usually chestnut). Bits of pomelo (the small bits you find if you peel a section) is also added. This is arranged on a large plate (very large) with each ingredient seperate from the other. Strips of thinly sliced raw fish are placed on a seperate plate. A little brandy, lime juice and five spice powder are poured onto the fish (chemically cooked now) and a few fish strips are arranged on top of the dish on the plate so as to be aesthetically pleasing. Then pepper, sesame seed, ground up peanuts, oil and sweet sauce are added on top of the dish and people would put their chopstick and toss the Yee Sang.
Size: 6016px × 4000px
Location: Malaysia
Photo credit: © Bare Essence Photography / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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