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For many Pennsylvania families, New Year’s Day means chowing down on pork and sauerkraut. But pork and sauerkraut isn’t the only way to attract fortune. Cultures around the world each have their own lucky New Year’s dishes.
Quite a few of these are represented in Philly, including this dish enjoyed by people in Malaysia. Ange Branca of Sate Kampar provided the following recipe.
Yee Sang
by Ange Branca
Every ingredient in the dish represents a good luck wish. As the salad is assembled, the well wishes are usually recited. Every year, families and friends come together to mix the salad, using chopsticks, tossing it as high as possible. The higher one tosses the salad, it is believed, the higher your achievements will be.
Raw fish
(年年有余 Nián nián yǒu yú)
Abundance year after year
Carrots
(鸿运当头 hóng yùn dāng tóu)
Good fortune be on you
Lettuce greens
(青春常驻 qīng chūn cháng zhù)
May you be youthful always
Red, golden and green pickled ginger
(恭喜發財. gōng xì fā cái, 出入平安 chūrù píng’ ān)
Wishing wealth and harmony for the new year.
White radish
(风生水起 fēng shēng shuǐ qǐ)
May your success roar like the wind and waves
Pomelo
(大吉大利 Dàjí dàlì)
Best of luck
Pepper
(招财进宝 Zhāo Cái jìn bǎo)
Attract wealth and treasure
Chinese five-spice powder
(五福臨門 wǔ fú lín mén)
May all good fortune be upon you and your family
Sesame seeds
(大小平安 dà xiǎo píng ān)
Peace and safety for all in your family
Ground peanut
(金玉滿堂 jīn yù mǎn táng)
May your home be filled with wealth and treasure
Fried crisps
(黄金满地 huáng jīn mǎn de)
May wealth and prosperity be everywhere
Oil
(财源广进 Cáiyuán guǎng jìn)
May wealth pour in from all directions
Plum sauce
(甜甜蜜蜜 tián tián mì mì)
May your life be sweet like honey!