Japan – Yusheng

by Zayna Khan

This is a very famous Japanese salad, made up of raw fish mixed with vegetables, and add seasonings and sauces to make it delicious. This dish is originally from China but it has also a great impact on Japan. As from China, this dish is very popular in Japan. Sometimes different seafood items are added like octopus, shark meat, etc. It depends on what meat you like to eat raw. Like Sashimi, this is also a very good source of the meal by having seafood meat with shredded vegetables. This is also very popular in Malaysia and Singapore. This dish is consumed in the Chinese new year. This dish in Japan is famous among exotic restaurants that can serve the famous Chinese dish with Japanese flavors and enjoy by many people.

This dish has Japanese seasonings in Japan because of the different, slightly different in taste, Like sesame oil, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, soya sauce, mirin, etc.

This dish has many more different names like the given below

• Yushang
• Yuu Seng
• Yee sang
• yuu sahng
• Lo shng
• Lo hei
• Prosperity toss

CANTONESE STYLE CUISINE

This dish is said to be from Cantonese cuisine, after the invention this became part of Chinese cuisine and now Japanese cuisine. Cantonese cuisine is the Yee cuisine of the Chinese province of Guangzhou. There are many dishes that are part of Yee cuisine also very common in Japanese cuisine, but with some Japanese touch of spices and ingredients.

This is not wrong to say this as fusion cuisine because many dishes are originated from China but also popular in Japan with little difference in their ingredients and cooking technique.

Dishes that are common in Japan as well as China are:

• Congee
• Sushi
• Mantis shrimp curry
• Lo mein
• Wonton noodles
• Beef briskets
• Chicken in soya sauce, etc.

VEGETARIAN VERSION

This dish has also a vegetarian version and the name is known as SOY FISH. In this dish, Soy is used as the ingredient that substitutes the fish component this named soy because Soy resembles the word, Salmon. So instead of salmon salad, this dish has soy to be named as Soy Fish Salad. Because after fish, now soya is the most important ingredient of the salad.

We can have varieties of sauce to complement the dish like hot sauce for spiciness, oyster sauce for tanginess. The dressing of the salad is very particular that can be loved by many people. Sometimes, different sauces are served with the salad so you can have it more if you like.

QICAI YUSHENG

Qicai yusheng is a seven-colored salad, that is served in many restaurants are they used different beautiful colored vegetables with the pink colored thinly sliced raw fish meat, sometimes it is white-colored meat like tuna fish which is canned. Canned fish is also be used in many salads but that must be a fresh meatloaf thinly sliced and added to freshly prepared vegetables with seasonings.

ELEMENTS OF YUSHENG

TYPES OF FISH

Fish that can be eaten raw, added into salad, sushi, sashimi, etc. There are many fish kinds, that can be eaten raw like:

• Salmon
• Bluefish
• Tuna
• Sea bass
• Trout
• eel
• Shrimp
• Octopus
• Sea bream
• Scallop
• Abalone, etc.

VEGETABLES

There are many vegetables added over this dish like adding many colors to the salad. Vegetables are added in salads for freshness, crunchiness, colors, etc. Vegetables are added like:

• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Corns
• Bell peppers
• Pomelo
• Green radish
• White radish
• beetroot
• scallions
• Onions
• Rec yam
• Cucumber
• White daikon, etc.

SAUCES

• Soya sauce
• Fish sauce, vinaigrette
• Garlic lime dressing
• Mayonnaise
• Brag vinaigrette
• Rice vinegar
• Palm sauce, etc.

INGREDIENTS OF YUSHENG

• Raw salmon : 100 grams
• Smoked salmon : 100 grams
• Tuna :100 grams
• Abalone : 100 grams
• Chinese white daikon : 1 cup
• Purple cabbage : 1/2 cup
• Cucumber : 1/2 cup
• Carrots : 1/2 cup
• Jicama : 1 cup
• White raddish : 1/2 cup
• Pickled leeks : 1/2 cup
• Roasted peanuts : 1 cup
• Sesame seeds : 4 tablespoons
• Pomelo : 3
• Mangoes : 4
• Papaya : 1
• Grape fruit : 1

DRESSING AND SEASONINGS

• Palm sauce : 1 cup
• sesame oil : 1/3 cup
• Lemon juice : 1/3 cup
• Five star powder: 1 teaspoon
• Mixed herbs : 1 teaspoon

METHOD OF ASSEMBLING

• Take the meat chunks and slice into thin sheets of 1 inch.
• Thinly slices meat is the best way to eat raw fish like served in sashimi.
• Now we need to chopped vegetables and fruits.
• We need to roast peanuts for getting crunchiness to the salad.
• All ingredients are freshly cut and prepared before serving.
• Fruits must be chopped so that their juices releases and make it more flavorful
• Now add, seasonings like herbs and spices powder.
• Add palm sauce, sesame oil and lemon juice and toss it well.
• Toss well so that dressing covered the vegetables and meat and serve.
• Enjoy 🙂