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年 年 有 鱼!
Being chinese doesn’t necessarily mean one would know all the chinese tradition and rituals. Come to think of it, by the sheer number of Chinese population in the world, plus the fact that the Chinese people has been spread all over the globe… there is bound to be tons of variations one would not know about!
Case in point… Lo Hei, a tradition only Singapore and Malaysian Chinese know of. Lo Hei is a special appetizer during the Chinese new year period. It usually consists of strips of salmon, mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. We eat this during the Chinese new year simply because it symbolizes prosperity and abundance.
Here is the cool part… we get to play with the food! The correct way to go about it is to ‘toss in’ the New Year. Toss high, toss loud and toss messily – not that you will be able to help it. Each diner is equipped with a pair of chopsticks that are used to mix everything together in the large communal dish. The mess can be lessened (a little) if you aim towards the middle – and this is also the way to ensure that good fortune is being distributed throughout the group. The words lo hei are chanted for luck when tossing.
Of course it’s not just the Lo Hei we get to eat. We also get the full 10-course Chinese banquet.
Old Hong Kong restaurant at Raffles City
Standard Chartered Celebration Lunch
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