‘HUAT Ah! Money Come Ah! Bonus Big Big Ah!’ (Prosperity, come our way! Money, flow our way! May we all have big bonuses this year!).
These familiar chants ring across the cafe at KDU (Kolej Damansara Utama) University’s culinary school in Shah Alam, Selangor as we toss a melange of shredded vegetables, candied fruits and slices of raw salmon as high as our chopsticks would allow.
It’s believed that the higher we toss the customary yee sang to ring in the Chinese New Year, the better our luck will be. But suffice to say, nobody at the table really wants to see any wayward fish slices to find their way to the floor, hence the somewhat respectable height of the tossing.
Those red-orange slivers of fish are treasured jewels in any yee sang platter and like a hawk waiting to capture its prey across a treacherous lake, everyone’s eyes are transfixed on the slices bouncing up from each toss.
However, today’s yee sang toss is a generous one hosted by the Norwegian Seafood Council. Prior to the commencement of our meal, we’d been assured that we’d not only get a slice of the precious fish each, but also a table filled with delectable fillets and steak cuts of their prized Norwegian salmon and fjord trout to savour, cooked in a variety of ways by the in-house chef, Jimmy Chok.
Gregariously shouting out our last wishes for the New Year, we settle down in our seats ready for a ‘fishy’ feast.
Norwegian specialty
It’s quite common for consumers in this region to mistake salmon for trout and vice versa. Scientifically, these fishes are not even from the same species and they don’t even hail from the same family tree.
The mistake probably occurs because of their appearance. Both salmon and trout have a red-orange flesh, possess an almost similar skin texture and pattern, and both can grow to a weight of 2.5kg or slightly more. The only difference between the two is that salmon has a slightly paler orange tinge compared to the trout.
“The darker shade of the trout doesn’t mean that it’s fresher than the salmon. These two are actually very different from each other,” explains Jon Erik Steenslid, the director of Norwegian Seafood Council based in Singapore, as he takes a seat across from me halfway through the luncheon.
A piece of trout has more bite and chew to it than the salmon, elaborates Steenslid, adding that this is due to salmon having a slightly higher fat content. Intrigued by the insight, I pay closer attention to what I’m eating and tasting.
“This is the very reason why most people will prefer to eat raw salmon over raw trout, although both are perfectly fine to be eaten raw, especially the farmed ones from Norway,” adds Steenslid.
Finding himself a seat next to Steenslid (presumably his duties in the kitchen are completed), the talented chef Chok chips in: “That’s why Norwegian salmon make great additions to the traditional Yee Sang platter. The fish’s slightly oily taste adds flavour to the dish. Even the colour itself is a wonderful prosperous symbol; Not to mention the beauty of it when it’s laid on the plate with the rest of the ingredients!”
For centuries, seafood has been both a basic source of food and an important trade for Norway. It has also become an important part of their culture and history. It was the ease of fishing for seafood that was one of the main reasons why the early Norwegians chose to settle along the cold, windy coastline of this northern country.
Today, Norway is the second largest seafood exporter in the world after China. It’s also the world’s largest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon and Fjord trout. The country’s icy ocean and coastline make for perfect conditions for both Norwegian salmon and trout.
Together with the Norwegian Seafood Council, a government-owned company under the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries and established in 1991, both the farmers and marketers have kept the Norwegian salmon and trout industry growing from strength to strength over the years.
“As part of the council, it’s our job to educate the consumers of the benefits of purchasing and eating Norwegian seafood, especially our farmed salmon and trout,” shares Steenslid, adding: “We’ve also painstakingly ensured that all our salmon and trout adheres to the EU (European Union) seafood laws by running over 12,000 tests every year. These tests help to confirm that both fishes are perfectly fine to be consumed raw without prior freezing. And we’re the only ones exempted from this stringent law.”
Asian flavours
Although salmon and trout are well-known types of fishes in the market here, a lot of people still shy away from buying them because of their apprehensions on how to cook them.
“Not many people know that you can use salmon and trout in various types of dishes aside from the typical grill or pan-fried Western ways,” shares Chok, with a smile.
Continuing, the 48-year-old chef explains: “You can actually stir-fry the fishes with many Asian sauces. But the best recipe I’ve ever devised so far is the asam pedas with salmon or trout. It’s practically a marriage made in heaven!” It seems that the oiliness of both fishes blends perfectly with the sour and spiciness of the sauce.
The self-trained Chok has been working with the Norwegian Seafood Council for about 12 years to educate the public and provide ample examples on ways to prepare and cook Norwegian seafood that will suit the Asian palate.
“I’ve been working with these two fishes for almost a decade but it still feels like my job isn’t done yet. People are still coming up to my cook station at the supermarkets with shocked expressions when they see me prepare the salmon or trout, the stir-fried way,” he laments.
The Batu Pahat-born but Kuantan-raised chef adds: “Stir-frying trout or salmon isn’t as daunting as it sounds. As long as you maintain a medium heat and NOT overcook the fish, these fishes will pair beautifully with any sauce you use. They also don’t stink up your house with a fishy stench.”
The only reason your house will smell like a fish market after frying salmon or trout is when you’re burning the fresh fish oils that are seeping out of the fish, he explains. And this occurs when your pan’s heat is far too high.
Alternatively, Chok advices people to oven-bake both trout and salmon at low temperatures of 50 or 55 degrees Celsius and for a maximum of 40 to 45 minutes.
This, he points out, is the best method to retain the oils in the fish. Another way is to seal the fish in a ziplock bag and immerse it in simmering water (sous vide method).
“Once the fish is cooked, all you need to do is plate it and pour your favourite sauce over it. This is by far the fastest way to serve up a good piece of salmon or trout at this year’s family Chinese New Year’s eve dinner,” he suggests.
Chuckling, he adds: “And if all else fails, just get a tray of freshly sliced raw Norwegian salmon or trout and toss them together with all the essential ingredients to make a large platter of yee sang!
Suddenly, an assistant appears and apologises for interrupting our conversation. It seems that Steenslid is needed elsewhere. Seeing that everyone has left the room, no doubt fully satiated, both Chok and I decide to call it a day too. I know that the affable chef is on a tight schedule to catch a flight back to Singapore where he’s based now.
Before bidding farewell, Chok confides: “I may not know much of the origins of yee sang but I do understand its significance in Chinese culture. I respect that people need something to believe in.”
Continuing, he concludes: “It would be nice to preserve traditions as much as possible, since we’re slowly losing a lot of them to the technology generation. And it’s easier now when you can actually prepare the dish at home. Just make sure you buy from a reputable outlet, your chopping board and knife is clean, and you’re good to have a blessed Chinese New Year. Nian nian you yu! (May you have lots of wealth!)”
For more information on both Norwegian salmon and trout, visit en.seafood.no
NORWEGIAN SALMON YEE SANG
Ingredients:
1 medium size carrot, white radish and green radish, julienne into strips (amount enough for one large platter)
2 packets enoki mushroom
200 grams roasted salted peanut
2 teaspoons white sesame seeds white
1 packet Japanese pickled red ginger
1 packet Japanese pickled yellow daikon
1 packet dried mango
1 packet dried figs
1 packet dried apricot
1 packet dried cranberry
1 packet dried pineapple
2 bottle Lee Kum Kee plum sauce
1 bottle olive oil
20 lime
10 pieces kaffir lime leaf
1 piece ginger flower
1 pomelo
1 pomegranate
1 bottle honey
1 bottle rice vinegar
1 packet Thai rice crackers
1 large fillet raw Norwegian salmon, sliced into bite sized pieces
Method:
1.Place the dry ingredients on a large platter. Decorate the platter as you wish.
2.Top it with the sliced raw salmon.
3.Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl and drizzle it over the dry ingredients.
4.Toss them up for good luck. Don’t forget to shout out your wish for the year as loud as you can. And if you catch a slice of fish while tossing, count your blessings approved.