Huat ah!

Emerald hill, Singapore

How did you spend chinese new year eve?
A. Were you at your granny’s playing PSII with cousins?
B. Having a simple meal with immediate family?
C. Dining at your in-laws?
D. honking away because you were stuck at the causeway?

Usually around this time of the year, major malls and business districts in Singapore would be really really quiet. The chinese will flock home for annual reunion dinner and reunite at chinatown for fireworks. Instead of reuniting with relatives, I was bar-tendering at a resturant. I saw many families coming togather to ‘lao yu sheng’.
‘Yu Sheng’ comprised of shredded carrots, onions, calamasi, cracker, cucumber, sliced salmon or abalone and yu sheng sauce. There, waiters will say auspicious words as they mix the salad. People watched with delight. After that, people stood up and shouted ‘huat ahhhh…’

The atmosphere was filled with excitment as people tossed the dish and spoke well wishes.

This chinese new year eve was quite a different one. My mother and I spent the night, serving customers. How eventful….