January in Singapore is a month of fresh beginnings, vibrant energy, and artistic illumination. The city buzzes with:

• Singapore Art Week — a dynamic showcase of contemporary art, galleries, and installations across the island.
• Light to Night Festival — returning with stunning light installations, projections, and interactive experiences in the Civic District, themed around inner power and creativity.
• Other highlights — from immersive exhibitions and live performances to the kickoff of preparations for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations.

As a chef, I believe food is one of the most immediate ways to express creativity and set intentions for the year ahead. Each ingredient is a brushstroke, each plating a composition. To celebrate January’s themes of light, art, and renewal, I’ve crafted a dish that captures Singapore’s multicultural glow: the Illuminated Prosperity Bowl — a modern take on prosperity toss salad (yu sheng) fused with artistic elements, perfect for welcoming the new year with abundance and colour.

Why Illuminated Prosperity Bowl? Yu sheng is a beloved Singaporean tradition, especially as Chinese New Year approaches (with festivities building in late January and peaking in February 2026). The colourful ingredients symbolise prosperity, good fortune, and harmony — raw fish for abundance, pomelo for luck, carrots for wishes. In January, amid light festivals and art week, this dish becomes an edible artwork: vibrant layers arranged like a glowing installation, with thoughtful contrasts of texture, colour, and flavour to “illuminate” the plate.

The design twist? A balanced, radial presentation that evokes light rays or a mandala — inviting everyone to toss together for shared good luck.

Recipe: Illuminated Prosperity Bowl Serves: 4–6 Prep Time: 25 minutes (No cooking required – fresh and vibrant!)

Ingredients

Base & Main:

• 300–400 g fresh sashimi-grade salmon or tuna, thinly sliced (or vegetarian alternative: marinated tofu or avocado)
• 1 large pomelo, segmented and broken into bite-sized pieces
• 2 medium carrots, julienned
• 1 daikon (white radish), julienned
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1 green apple or pear, julienned (tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning)
• 1 small red cabbage, finely shredded (for deep colour)
• Handful of pickled ginger slices

Toppings & Garnishes:

• Fried wonton strips or crispy shallots (for crunch)
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Chopped peanuts or cashews
• Microgreens or edible flowers (for artistic pops)
• Optional: thin slices of pickled beetroot or red chilli for extra colour

Sauce (Prosperity Dressing):

• 4 tbsp plum sauce
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• 1 tsp honey or sugar
• Pinch of white pepper

Instructions

1. Prepare the Ingredients
   • Julienne carrots, daikon, cucumber, and apple/pear into thin matchsticks.
   • Segment pomelo carefully, removing membranes.
   • Shred red cabbage finely.
   • Slice fish thinly and keep chilled.
2. Make the Dressing
   • Whisk together plum sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, five-spice, honey, and white pepper until smooth. Adjust to taste — it should be sweet, tangy, and aromatic.
3. Assemble the Illuminated Bowl
   • Use a large, wide shallow bowl or platter as your “canvas.”
   • Arrange ingredients in colourful radial sections around the centre (like spokes of light): alternate pomelo, carrots, daikon, cucumber, apple, red cabbage for visual harmony.
   • Place sliced fish (or alternative) in the centre or in a decorative fan.
   • Scatter fried wonton strips, sesame seeds, peanuts, microgreens, and edible flowers over the top for texture and sparkle.
   • Drizzle or serve the dressing on the side — or pour a little over just before tossing.
4. The Toss & Serve
   • Gather everyone around the table.
   • Drizzle dressing generously, then toss high while shouting auspicious phrases (e.g., “Huat ah!” for prosperity).
   • The higher the toss, the better the luck! Serve immediately.

Food as Illumination This Illuminated Prosperity Bowl is more than a salad — it’s edible art and intention-setting. The rainbow of ingredients mirrors the glowing installations of Light to Night Festival, while the communal toss embodies renewal and shared positivity for the year ahead. In Singapore’s blend of cultures, it celebrates fresh starts with flavour, colour, and joy.

Final Thoughts January invites us to shine a light on new possibilities — through art, festivals, and the meals we share. This dish brings a touch of Singapore’s creative spirit to your table, blending tradition with modern design. As we step into 2026, may your plates (and your year) be filled with prosperity, harmony, and brilliant moments.

Here’s to a luminous start!

Chef Gareth John