Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year "Lo Hei"

Joanna Chu

As seen on Vancouver Sun. Recipe by Executive Chef of Fresh Ideas Start Here, Welbert Choi. 

Lo Hei, also called Yee Sang or “prosperity toss” is a raw fish salad enjoyed during Lunar New Year. Family usually gather around the table together while ingredients are being added to the plate. Then, they use chopsticks to toss the salad up – an auspicious way to “toss up good fortune” for wealth and long life.

Serves 4-6.

12 large slices of smoked salmon or one 200 g pack of smoked wild B.C. Sockeye Lox 

1 small daikon radish, peeled

1 small carrot, peeled

1 English cucumber

¼ small green cabbage

1 25-g bottle Tsumami Umami Seaweed Jam

5 tbsp. shallot oil

1 cup kimchee or pickled vegetable of choice

1 tbsp. sesame seed

3 tbsp. crispy crackers of choice

 ½ tsp. gold flakes

Julienne carrots, daikon radish, cucumber and green cabbage using a mandolin. Arrange vegetables on a large plate. Place shredded cabbage and kimchee in the middle.

Place smoked salmon on top of cabbage. Drizzle with shallot oil. Garnish with gold flakes, which can be found at specialty food stores, Tsumami Umami Seaweed Jam, sesame seeds and crackers.