A Budget Hot Pot
A budget hot pot - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Hi, welcome back to Ichi's fusion recipe. Today I am going to talk about hot pot again but from a different perspective which is mean that how to create or make inexpensive hot pot; in another word is a budget hot pot. Does it possible? Yes, it does!
My hot pot soup with soya roll - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Talking about budget lifestyle yet we can still eat well and healthy, that sounds good, isn't it? I am a person who has always been trying to manage money in good shape including food. Someday someone said, "why are you still eating tempeh, tofu, and kangkong? You have money now." This question came up because most people from the place where I came from has always changed their eating habit once having a successful life. For example: dining out, eating meat every day without vegetables, eating unlimited sweets or dessert. It has happened repeatedly from generation to generation. No wonder high blood pressure, diabetes has become their health issues when they reach young-adult.
Eating healthy food is cheaper actually. In my view, we do not need to pay or spend lots of money on fancy foods. I would rather help people who live in poverty than paying expensive foods. Yes, maybe I had a hard life in the past so that I have always been concerned about them. But helping others who need help is one of my goals.
Teriyaki sauce, tempura and noodles sauce, soy sauce - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Back to the topic, eating hot pot on a special occasion is a tradition in Singapore. Generally, people go to the restaurant with family, friends, or collages for celebration it could be company birthday, family birthday, Chinese new year, et cetera. It definitely involves lots of money except company event. However, we could arrange a hot pot at home with a low budget. Especially in this coronavirus year, it would be better to stay at home rather than go to the restaurant for a celebration. Moreover, we can save our money.
Beef, otah-otah, prawns, fa cai roll, celery - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
I do not remember when the last time we go to the restaurant to eat some kind of hot pot. But I do see it clear that it had cost some money, maybe $ 200 ++ for 3 people. It was a regular standard restaurant, but what if we go to the high class or a 5-star restaurant, I am scared to tell you the cost, maybe you are afraid to hear either. Since then I decided to buy teppanyaki. It Japanese style where I can arrange and serve not only hot pot but grill as well. It sounds compelling to me and I love the Japanese style. This teppanyaki I bought only cost $ 60 at a hypermarket nearby. Once for forever, that my quote for this appliance. Why? I have had teppanyaki for about 4 or 5 years ☺ Cool, huh? Once a year we have family dinner and I love my teppanyaki.
How about the ingredient? I just only pay $1, $ 2, $ 3 each for the vegetables that I use for my hot pot soup. I picked enoki mushroom, bunapi mushroom, wong bok (Chinese cabbage), french bean, celery, big tomato or cherry tomato, pea sprout. If I pick spinach or kangkong, they are still in the $2 budget. The Japanese soup base is different, it cost $7+ a pack. Per pack contains 15 bags (tea bag style). We only put a 1 bag for 600 ml water for soup. Meanwhile, tom yam paste is cheaper than the Japanese "dashi" or Japanese soup base. It below $5. Sounds, great?
Another ingredient for hot pot is meat and seafood. I like to choose chicken breast, beef (sirloin is good one), sausage, peeled prawn, sometimes I would go for squid. Even though I do not eat meat but my other family eats meat. I bought 1 pack of peeled prawns for $7+, while chicken breast and beef would cost below $20. Crab and lobster are definitely cost lots of money and I eliminate them since I got really bad allergies. I am proud to say, chicken breast, beef, and prawns are good enough, or more than enough for our family celebration because many people outside there can not afford to buy chicken and beef. Think about it and always be grateful.
Meat, tempura tempeh, otah-otah (a fish cake), fa cai (soya roll) - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
Now talking about dessert! I would rather eat fruit for our dessert. Basically, I buy oranges or apples because both are easy to get and vary. For example, 1 pack of oranges (USA) are cost #7+; each pack 6 oranges. However, if I choose another option for instance from Pakistan is cheaper which is only pay below $5 for 10 oranges. I paid below $5 for 1 pack of Gala apple (USA) that 6 apples inside. There are a variety of oranges in the market, the price of fruit depends on where they are come from and what kind of variety. Usually, Cara-cara USA orange, Pacific rose apple New Zealand are costly. It just some for the sample. I think fruit in Singapore is priceless compare to if I live in my hometown. Of course, because in the village I could grow my own fruit trees.
Tempura tempeh, otah-otah, grill prawns with tempura sauce - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
To make an intriguing hot pot, I made tempura tempeh. Since when the hot pot has a tempeh menu? Well, since I exist, I would like to make something more engaging and different. The price of 200g tempeh is below $2. Before the Covid-19 crisis, I paid below $1 for 200g of tempeh. Furthermore, teriyaki sauce and tempura sauce are my choices to give taste to our grill meat and prawns. Japanese sauces are more expensive, but we only use some so that after finishing dinner, we can put them in the fridge for another purpose. The cost of Japanese sauce is about $7 up to $8 each.
Overall, the cost for my hot pot around $50 it could be up to $70 because I have always bought drinks as well for instance: jasmine tea, berry tea, coconut water, or rootbeer. With this budget, it is enough for 4-5 people.
Teppanyaki at home - Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
What do you think? I think it is not bad. My father taught me to use money wisely since I was a child. As result here I am today😊
Thank you for reading my article, and see you in another article! Bye for now!🖐🙂
Note:
- Written by Acik Mardhiyanti
- Photographed by Acik Mardhiyanti
- Do not copy this article without permission
- Do not reuse these photographed anywhere else without permission
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