SINGAPORE — No raw fish, no matter. The secret is in the sauce.

That is how the “heavenly culinary kings” behind yusheng as we know it today are taking the standing ban on raw freshwater fish dishes due to links to Group B streptococcus infections.

With Chinese New Year drawing close, the chefs, like several other restaurants, have settled on abalone to replace raw ikan parang or wolf herring traditionally used for yusheng. But they are confident theirs will still stand out.

“The heart of yusheng lies in the sauce, it must not be too sweet or too salty. The sauce is the most important element to unify all the ingredients together,” said Chef Hooi Kok Wai, 76, one of the four culinary masters who have spiced up a bland raw-fish Cantonese fare and turned it into a Chinese New Year must-have.

His compatriots are the late Tham Yui Kai and Lau Yeok Pui, as well as Sin Leong, with whom he owns Red Star Restaurant at Chin Swee Road.

Following the ban on the use of freshwater fish in all ready-to-eat raw fish dishes on Dec 5, the National Environment Agency spoke to restaurants about the issue and the alternatives available.

All three restaurants that are acknowledged as pioneers of yusheng said that while keeping true to their traditional recipe is important, customers’ safety is even more so.

Although using abalone will increase their cost, they are keeping prices unchanged.

Dragon Phoenix restaurant, which Chef Hooi founded but is now managed by his son Chris, has also chosen to use abalone for its yusheng at its three branches.

One reason is the auspicious ring to its Mandarin name, “bao yu” — the latter word sounds similar to the Mandarin term for prosperity.

“Of course, we cannot use ‘you yu’ or cuttlefish as it has a negative connotation,” quipped Mr Hooi, referring to the colloquial Mandarin phrase for being given the boot.

For Lai Wah Restaurant along Bendemeer Road, where Chefs Tham and Lau were shareholders, they also plumped for using abalone over saltwater fish.

Restaurant director Helen Lim said customers started asking whether it would still sell yusheng and how it was going to replace the raw fish slices after news broke of deaths involving patrons who ate raw freshwater fish last month.

“We would rather not take the risk and have a peaceful and auspicious Lunar New Year,” said Madam Lim.

At a demonstration to prepare the dish yesterday (Jan 12), Chef Hooi’s years of culinary skills were evident as he niftily grabbed portions of the 21 ingredients.

“Every ingredient in yusheng plays its part and the amount must be precise as everything adds up to the eventual taste of the dish,” he said, splicing abalone with the same prized chopper he has been using to slice raw fish in previous years.

Chef Hooi conceded that it was a pity that the ban came so close to Chinese New Year as “it does somewhat affect the festive spirit”.

But he added quickly: “But beyond the taste, it is also the feeling evoked after eating the dish.”

Long-time Red Star patron Leong Kuo Chi, 84, who tried the abalone yusheng for the first time yesterday, agreed: “Everyone tossing the ingredients and shouting auspicious words together ... then when you bite into the yusheng, it just tastes and feels really good.”