A food fight with chopsticks? How the ‘prosperity toss' became one of Lunar New Year's most fun culinary traditions

CNN

27-01-2025

Anyone not familiar with the 'prosperity toss,' a beloved Lunar New Year culinary tradition, could be forgiven for thinking they've just walked in on the world's strangest food fight.
It is, admittedly, an unusual scene. As a tablecloth is laid, diners stand around the table, hovering close, chopsticks gripped tightly in their hands.
As each ingredient is added to a plate, auspicious words are chanted — first come the vegetables, then the slices of raw fish, followed by the dressing and, finally, garnishes such as nuts or wonton crisps.
Everyone then digs into the salad at once, tossing the ingredients higher and higher while shouting louder and louder — all in the hopes of bringing good fortune for the coming year.
'Some of the most popular auspicious phrases include Huat ah! (meaning prosperity), Xin nian kuai le! (Happy New Year), and Da ji da li! (great luck and great fortune),' says Paul Liew, third-generation owner of Keng Eng Kee Seafood (KEK), a Michelin Guide-recommended no-frills food stall in Singapore that serves a wide range of delicious home-style Chinese dishes.
'The higher the toss, the more blessings you're wishing for. But it's more about the spirit of the celebration than a competition.'
The prosperity toss, also known as yusheng/yee sang (translated as raw fish) or lou sang/lo hei (stir up), is incredibly popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Both claim to have invented the modern version of this tradition. The truth remains murky.
'The prosperity toss, or yusheng, is a dish that's closely associated with Lunar New Year celebrations here in Singapore,' says Liew.
'The Singapore version of yusheng, which I had read and been told, originated in the 1960s in Singapore, by the four chefs of Chinese cuisine during that era, known as the 'Four Heavenly Kings.' '
These four prominent Chinese chefs — Sin Leong, Hooi Kok Wai, Tham Yui Kai and Lau Yoke Pui — are credited with establishing Cantonese cuisine in Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s. It's said that they decided to add seven kinds of colorful chopped vegetables as well as a sweet and sour plum and tangerine sauce to raw slices of fish — a traditional delicacy brought over from China with the diaspora — to create the prosperity toss that's known and loved today.
In Malaysia, meanwhile, many people claim the dish was invented by chefs, inspired by traditional fish noodles, at a restaurant called Loke Ching Kee in Seremban City in the 1940s.
'From what I believe, the dish comes from the Cantonese people in Malaysia,' says Aaron Khor, head chef and co-founder of Fifty Tales, a Malaysian Chinese restaurant that serves homemade noodles during the day and modern/casual Malaysian-Chinese cuisine at night.
'Usually served in big banquet restaurants, lou sang is enjoyed with a large group of people, usually 10 or more.'
That these two Singaporean and Malaysian chefs don't agree on the origin of the prosperity toss will come as little surprise to those familiar with both nations' passion for food. The pair met at an event in Bangkok in 2024 and immediately clicked, as both of their restaurants specialize in Chinese comfort cuisine. Yet, when it comes to the origins of the prosperity toss, neither will back down.
'It's a fun topic that often sparks friendly debates among foodies from both countries,' says Liew. 'While there are different claims, I personally believe that the modern version of the prosperity toss as we know it today was popularized here in Singapore.'
Khor adds that such debates aren't unusual, and it's all good-natured.
'It is the same question as things like rendang, laksa and many other dishes that both Singapore and Malaysia share,' he says.
'While it does matter to know where it originated, it's also (important) to remember that both countries were once a single country and are located next to each other. (The debate) will never end in my opinion. And personally, it's exciting to see how both countries have different ways of doing things.'
Liew agrees.
'What's more important is how it's celebrated and enjoyed by people today. It's the shared experience that matters most,' he adds.
While prosperity toss is customarily served on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, also known as 'The People's Birthday' (or Renri), many festival revelers toss their plate of vegetables and raw fish slices whenever they have a chance over the holiday period.
Liew says that his father first introduced Yusheng to KEK's menu in Singapore in the 1990s. Their version has evolved over time, but the core ingredients remain — thinly sliced raw fish with shredded vegetables such as carrots and turnips, and a range of condiments such as jellyfish, preserved ginger, peanuts and sesame seeds.
But the secret to a good toss lies in the sauce, and most restaurants have their own in-house recipe.
'A good prosperity toss is all about balance between the textures of the vegetables, the crunchiness of the peanuts, and the amount of yusheng sauce (which is produced in our kitchen),' he says.
Liew, who manages the front-of-house with his family while his brother Wayne Liew helms the kitchen, says the tossing part isn't just for fun, but flavor as well. A good toss allows the shredded vegetables to release their moisture, which binds well with the sauce.
Meanwhile, Khor says his young restaurant — co-founded with his two friends Aaron Phua and Bimmy Soh — started serving prosperity toss during last year's Lunar New Year period.
Named 'Fifty Tales Yee Sang,' it's made with fresh vegetables such as radishes, carrots, white turnips, cucumbers, red cabbage, pickles and fried yam, then topped with an in-house sauce of salted calamansi (a type of citrus fruit), guava, five spice and plum.
'Last year, we did the yee sang with cured raw snapper. This year, we've taken things up a notch by serving it with abalone,' says Khor.
These days, it's being served far beyond Malaysia and Singapore
Chinese restaurants around the world — from San Francisco to Hong Kong — have started embracing the trend and offer their own versions of the prosperity toss during Lunar New Year.
For instance, Hong Kong-Canadian chef Susur Lee serves Singapore slaw, inspired by the prosperity toss, all year round at his restaurant in Toronto. It's one of the most iconic dishes on his menu. His version comprises two dozen ingredients, including deep-fried taro noodles, fried vermicelli, perilla leaves and a fruity dressing.
Nowadays, the prosperity toss continues to be an extremely significant ritual for Lunar New Year in Singapore and Malaysia, with both chefs saying the tradition remains popular among younger generations, too.
'Without it to begin the meal, we wouldn't be celebrating Chinese New Year,' says Khor. 'Every gathering, every dinner with our families during this festive season must include the prosperity toss.'
So what's his personal record? The chef says he once ate three prosperity tosses in a single day.
'I mean I like salads, but not that many,' Khor says with a laugh.
Liew is also quick to stress that it's so much more than just a dish.
'It's a ritual that brings people together, symbolizing unity… and the welcoming of a fresh start,' he says.
Even his father, known for his stern and serious demeanor, joins in the messy tradition.
'It's something that's very important to him, even if he didn't show it in a loud way,' Liew says.
'He would join in, though he'd definitely be a bit more reserved with his tossing… I think I see him get more animated with the grandkids around (nowadays). The tossing is such a joyful tradition, and it brings out a different side of everyone, no matter how serious they are.'
The only downside to this joyous food fight? The cleanup.
'It can get pretty messy, especially if there are a lot of people at the table,' says Liew, laughing.
'The ingredients can go flying, and sometimes there's a bit of a scramble to make sure everyone gets involved. These ingredients may even be found on ceiling fans at the end of our meal service.
'But that's part of the fun. The higher you toss, the greater the fortune, so it's always a good laugh to see who can toss their ingredients the highest. It's all in good spirits, of course.'