Singapore- part three
September 27th 2006 09:59
Welcome back to Travelmezze and Singapore: part three
The ethnic Indian population is the minority group in this island state-except for foreign construction workers, and expats. The younger generation is much ensconsed in the corporate world, while the older generation carry on a traditional lifestyle that includes shopping in "Little India" where sari shops abound, goldsmiths sell bright yellow gold jewellery, and provision shops attract with pungent smells of freshly ground curry powders. tumeric, cumin, and other essential seasonings.. You can also buy ground fresh coconut, or curry mixture made to order.
When you are hungry, there is much to enjoy. There are basically two types of cuisines...one from South India, and the other from the North. The South indian curries are hotter, with moist sauces- whereas North Indian curries tend to be spicy and of a drier consistency. Each region has their signature dishes. Vegetarian food is common. Breakfast favourites include roti prata- a flat pancake made with ghee (clarified butter), made in seconds- the batter is swirled onto a large hot plate. The pratas can be plain or an egg mixed into the batter- they are served with a little bowl of curry sauce for dipping. Another item is the dosai- this extra large paper thin pancake made with a rice flour mix, is filled with potato curry, vegetables or onions and served rolled up- it is usually a breakfast or lunch meal. Lasi- a watery yoghurt drink often made with fruit- is a good cooling accompaniement to hot curries. One can enjoy a variety of seafood, or famous Tandoori chicken which is marinated with spices, yoghurt and red food colouring and cooked in deep clay ovens till crispy black on the edges and gently flavoursome inside. You may be lucky to find a stall selling fried fish roes, this delicate entree is usually seasoned with tumeric and cooked till slightly crisp. Indian sweets are very rich, some swathed in food colouring, and others made with milk solids like the gulub jaman - this ball shaped dessert and served with syrup. One can also enjoy the basic 'banana leaf' - this simple meal is eaten with your hands. It consists of rice, several chutneys, and a few spoonfuls of assorted vegetable dishes including chick peas. Waiters walk amongst the diners 'topping up' their 'plates'. Try 'Chai' or strong tea with condensed milk which is poured several times from one jug to another to aerate the mixture.
Traditional dress for women is the sari:-a three-piece outfit. The upper garment is a round necked, fitted short sleeved crop top around which a long scarf is swathed around shoulders and upper body, while a long piece of fabric is wound round the lower body to make a floor length skirt. Another version is a long dress with short sleeves, worn with straight trousers, and a long scarf in matching fabric which is either cotton, or made of synthetic fibres in various colour tones and sometimes embossed. Evening wear is more formal - the elaborate material often edged in contrast trim or pattern. The younger generation prefer western clothes. Men wear modern clothing, although you may see some of the older generation in Little India wearing a white two piece consisting of lightweight shirt and long wraparound 'skirt'.
As mentioned yesterday, car ownership in Singapore can provide a status symbol for the young professional for whom property ownership is fairly prohibitive. Car numbers are controlled due to small land area, so those wishing to own a new car must submit an offer to gain a COE or "certificate of entitlement". Depending on the engine size, a would-be owner must bid an amount for ownership rights which is held each month. If the 'bid' amount is equal to the average or a higher bid for the category - one can then purchase a car after paying the average sum. Those bidding less than the average will have to wait until the following month to resubmit a bid. The average amount changes from month to month, so one hopes to succeed during a low bid month. COE's on cars with a 1.6 litre engine size can be as much as $40,000 even before buying a car! Cars are considered luxury items and can cost from as much Sing $150,000 for a 1.6 litre model.
COE price watching is almost as popular as horse race results, while many play 'toto' or the regular equivalent of a national lottery.
Most cars are only allowed an on-road life of 10years, if you wish to keep a car past that time- you must pay a sum for that benefit.
Next week we go to the Seychelles....
The ethnic Indian population is the minority group in this island state-except for foreign construction workers, and expats. The younger generation is much ensconsed in the corporate world, while the older generation carry on a traditional lifestyle that includes shopping in "Little India" where sari shops abound, goldsmiths sell bright yellow gold jewellery, and provision shops attract with pungent smells of freshly ground curry powders. tumeric, cumin, and other essential seasonings.. You can also buy ground fresh coconut, or curry mixture made to order.
When you are hungry, there is much to enjoy. There are basically two types of cuisines...one from South India, and the other from the North. The South indian curries are hotter, with moist sauces- whereas North Indian curries tend to be spicy and of a drier consistency. Each region has their signature dishes. Vegetarian food is common. Breakfast favourites include roti prata- a flat pancake made with ghee (clarified butter), made in seconds- the batter is swirled onto a large hot plate. The pratas can be plain or an egg mixed into the batter- they are served with a little bowl of curry sauce for dipping. Another item is the dosai- this extra large paper thin pancake made with a rice flour mix, is filled with potato curry, vegetables or onions and served rolled up- it is usually a breakfast or lunch meal. Lasi- a watery yoghurt drink often made with fruit- is a good cooling accompaniement to hot curries. One can enjoy a variety of seafood, or famous Tandoori chicken which is marinated with spices, yoghurt and red food colouring and cooked in deep clay ovens till crispy black on the edges and gently flavoursome inside. You may be lucky to find a stall selling fried fish roes, this delicate entree is usually seasoned with tumeric and cooked till slightly crisp. Indian sweets are very rich, some swathed in food colouring, and others made with milk solids like the gulub jaman - this ball shaped dessert and served with syrup. One can also enjoy the basic 'banana leaf' - this simple meal is eaten with your hands. It consists of rice, several chutneys, and a few spoonfuls of assorted vegetable dishes including chick peas. Waiters walk amongst the diners 'topping up' their 'plates'. Try 'Chai' or strong tea with condensed milk which is poured several times from one jug to another to aerate the mixture.
Traditional dress for women is the sari:-a three-piece outfit. The upper garment is a round necked, fitted short sleeved crop top around which a long scarf is swathed around shoulders and upper body, while a long piece of fabric is wound round the lower body to make a floor length skirt. Another version is a long dress with short sleeves, worn with straight trousers, and a long scarf in matching fabric which is either cotton, or made of synthetic fibres in various colour tones and sometimes embossed. Evening wear is more formal - the elaborate material often edged in contrast trim or pattern. The younger generation prefer western clothes. Men wear modern clothing, although you may see some of the older generation in Little India wearing a white two piece consisting of lightweight shirt and long wraparound 'skirt'.
As mentioned yesterday, car ownership in Singapore can provide a status symbol for the young professional for whom property ownership is fairly prohibitive. Car numbers are controlled due to small land area, so those wishing to own a new car must submit an offer to gain a COE or "certificate of entitlement". Depending on the engine size, a would-be owner must bid an amount for ownership rights which is held each month. If the 'bid' amount is equal to the average or a higher bid for the category - one can then purchase a car after paying the average sum. Those bidding less than the average will have to wait until the following month to resubmit a bid. The average amount changes from month to month, so one hopes to succeed during a low bid month. COE's on cars with a 1.6 litre engine size can be as much as $40,000 even before buying a car! Cars are considered luxury items and can cost from as much Sing $150,000 for a 1.6 litre model.
COE price watching is almost as popular as horse race results, while many play 'toto' or the regular equivalent of a national lottery.
Most cars are only allowed an on-road life of 10years, if you wish to keep a car past that time- you must pay a sum for that benefit.
Next week we go to the Seychelles....
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tir fried egg noodles with curry, eggs, tofu, beanshoots and seafood, Laksa Lemak:coconut based curry soup noodle with egg, beanshoots and tofu with either chicken or seafood. An early morning breakfast: 'nasi lemak' consists of rice, a fried egg, small fried anchovy size fish called ikan billis with peanuts in chilli sauce. Other favourites are murtabek- seasoned minced lamb inside pieces of roti- an unleavened oiled bread that is cooked on a hotplate. Vegetable dishes also contain copious quantities of chilli-potatoes, beans, beansprouts, various greens, onions, eggplant are regular ingredients. Belanchan spinach is a tasty concoction of stir fried spinach with ground chili, shrimp paste and dried shrimps..yum!
