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Lotus Root with Peanuts Soup

Ingredients

150 g Lotus root

½ cup Peanuts

10 Red dates

400 g Pork ribs

11 cups Water

2 tsp Salt

1 tsp TikkoSS’s Secret Ingredient

Method

1. Boil 500ml water. Add pork ribs and cook for 5 mins. Drain water and set aside

2. Cut lotus roots into thin slices and red dates into half.

3. Boil 11 cups of water. Add pork ribs, lotus roots, peanuts and red dates.

4. Cook for 30 mins over high fire before simmer over small fire for 2 hours.

5. Add salt and TikkoSS’s Secret Ingredients. Ready to be served.

Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical garden in Shanghai. Although the existence of this garden is about 400 years now and undergoes multiple reconstructions, this place still remains as a famous tourist spot in Shanghai.

Sometime I felt amaze on the architecture of ancient times. It seems like they really spend a lot of time building, reconstructing, refurbishing and try to preserve the crisp of the culture. Technically, we should embrace our history but the remains turn out to be so good for photography.

Maybe I sound a bit melodramatic but as a newbie in the world of camera, ancient buildings turn me on. This is just one of the many buildings in this garden. If you have good stamina, you can walk the 20 000 square meters park, within a day. I am fit (or I wanted to believe that), so, no problem for me.

There are 6 main scenic areas that you must visit: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and Inner Garden. I went there twice and I don’t think I ever visited those places or maybe I did but forget the names.

To me, the main attraction is not those scenic spots. I have discovered Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, the most famous and authentic siu long pau. Now, I also discovered the best dumplings in Shanghai called Ning Bo Dumplings (don’t know where they get the name from).

This restaurant is usually congested and probably you need to spend some time queuing to get seated and queuing to order and pay the bills. Maybe this place is the most affordable as compare to others? To me, crowded means good.. hehe..

As you might notice, they do serve big pau and some other dim sum too but the highlight is definitely the rice ball dumplings. Instead of ordering one, the long queue makes me order additional bowl. The sesame and crab roe dumplings.

In Singapore Chinatown, you can get this with almond or just plain sugar water soup. Over here, they only serve with plain water as the soup. In that case, the soup is like drinking hot water. On the other hand, the dumplings taste very nice and the texture is just perfect.

Two bowls are definitely not enough for me especially on good food. As soon as you walk out from the restaurant, you will notice that they also sell take away dumplings. I did not get it but I think it is a good deal. According to the lady, it can last about 3 weeks without fridge.

I am not leaving that place empty handed. I bought myself herbal bean curds with pigeon eggs. No, it is not stinky bean curd. This also taste good except a little spicy. Gosh, you should try to drink the soup too. Now, my floor is wet coz I can’t stop drooling when I write about this.

Ning Bo Dumplings

Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai

GPS:

Funny thing about travelling is that sometime, you tend to crave for something really bad like a pregnant lady. Of course I never experience pregnancy before as I am biologically challenged.

When your brain goes haywire, it tends to make you believe that if you don’t consume it, you will die instantly. Yea.. that is how bad it is.. something like fish cannot survives without water.

Before I even enter Hong Ji Tea House and Restaurant, my big belly (physically, almost the same like pregnant lady) already helps me to register what I want to eat.

So, it doesn’t matter if the place is cozy, nicely decorated or filled with pretty girls during peak hour, all I want is my drugs to get me over with my addiction.

Dressed like a hippy, untidy hair like beggar, I desperately asked the waitress, “Do you have what I need?” She replied, “What do you need?”

Ops, I’m in a paranoia state that I totally forget to place my order and assumed she knows. She might thought this is a lame pick up line but disappointedly I asked for not her number but beef curry, black pepper and seafood noodles.

At points the cravings feel like having sex, once you have it, you are wanting for more. I did not resist that temptation as it helps in stress reduction, right? Ohh.. ok.. I guess I have that is too much detail for a young person like me.

Besides sex, the combination of siu yok and teh that is not tarik also gives the same effects. What are you thinking? I am talking about satisfaction over here. What turn me off is that I have to pay RMB 158 (~RM 80) for all these.

Quite a price to pay to ease my cravings isn’t it?

Hong Jiu Tea House and Restaurant

(Beside Oriental Pearl Tower)

TEL: +86 21 3868 8877

Opening Time: 10.00 – 22.00 hours

GPS:

You stupid Asian, what are you doing in my country? Get the hell out of here! Do I look Asian? Yes.. Do I look stupid, maybe but chasing me out from your country? That is way too much.

Travelling in foreign countries are not always fun, you get hiccups from time to time. That line was quoted from my travel diary back in 2005. I always wonder what will happen to the whole idea of globalization when there is a small community who still lives in the state of denial.

I felt sorry for them but hey, my journey still continues until today. If I stop then, I will not have a chance to see Fatema Indian Restaurant in the middle of Qingdao, China.

This restaurant is not in a shopping mall. It is by the roadside about 15 minutes from Qingdao Olympics Sailing Museum.  The restaurant is decorated with authentic Indian decor with spices as background smell.

If you are physically in Malaysia, I don’t think you will find this restaurant interesting. If you are away from Malaysia for long long time, this restaurant will remind you of mamak stalls.

Finally I get to try cheese and garlic naan and roti prata after craving for it for so long.  Not to mention, you get to try different type of Nasi Beryani too..

Let me try to recall what I ordered. If I am not mistaken (in clockwise from top left).. Vegetable Curry, Mutton Curry, Prawn Curry and Chicken curry.

Bear with the lousy photos as I took with my lousy phone in low lighting condition. The presentation of the food is not so good but the tastes of spices are marvellous.

Like many good food around, the portion come in small size. With that, it gives you opportunity to order more.  So, I take my chance to maximise my order for second round.

With not a single glass of water yet, I ordered tofu curry, fish curry, potatoes curry and beef curry. Considering the place I am in, all these curries are considered great except the fish one.

Lastly, as for drinks, I ordered mango yogurt and teh masala. Mango yogurt is like a normal yogurt drink with mango flavour but the teh masala is kind of special.

It reminds me of the genuine teh masala that I used to drink when I was in India but slightly bigger cup than usual.  I forget how much does this meal cost but I tell you it is not cheap. The price is almost comparable with Little India in KLCC.

Fatema Indian Restaurant

No. 10, Gutian Road,

Qingdao, China.

TEL: +86 137 3099 4178, +86 532 8300 6655

Email: shamimcy@yahoo.com

GPS:

How old do you plan to retire? Many will said, “Do I look that old?” To me, retiring is not about sitting there waiting to die but rather quit from your daily responsibilities and do what you want.

Of course you need to get financial independence first. In other words, escape yourself from becoming a slave for money. Question is how? My concept is, instead of savings cents by cents, earn more more more than what you can EVER use.

Rich dad or wife is an alternative but unfortunately, I am not that lucky but hey, money is never enough anyway.

Rather than dwelling too much on what I don’t have, why not just flip the coins, see what I want to do about it. OK. I plan to physically retire in Singapore. Not because I like the ‘fine’ country but I love the food there!

Because of Bedok Hawker Stalls, I will re-consider Singapore again. Why? Foods here are deliciously nice and affordable. For instance, chee cheong fun and Jian Bo Shui Kueh cost less than SGD 5 (~RM 10).

That secures my daily breakfast. What about lunch? All I need is to spend another SGD 5 (~RM 10) and I can get decent lunch such as lemon chicken rice, kuey chap or duck rice. I have tested all and the foods are highly recommended.

With that, I am not going to live in poverty or resorting in something not decent as all these foods are my favorites! Who say I must eat steaks or bird nest on every meal?

When clock strikes 3pm, maybe I can plan to have a short tea break. Over here, I get to order lek tau suan (green pea soup), lotus seed soup, or even tou fu fah. Tou fu fah is common but lek tau suan or lotus seed soups are hardly find in other places.

So, did you get it yet?

The fundamental rule to achieve financial independence is to have a simple life. All you need is getting a decent shelter (not in dodgy place) and securing your stomach (not with bird nest) AND you are a step closer to your retirement.

(don’t act smart by asking what about dinner and supper! That you have to figure it out youself :p)

Bedok Hawker Stalls

Blk 207 New Upper Changi Road
#01-XX Bedok Interchange Food Centre

GPS: 1.325362, 103.930546