When you step into
Little India, you think you are in India. There’s a strong curry smell in the air, which I can’t handle.. I didn’t like that curry sauce.. I can eat anything, but after a while my body refuses and it’s almost like there is no dish without sauce.. Just because of this, I take care not to drink Coke, I drink Coke in almost every meal, but I can digest it this way.
Most of the Singaporeans of Indian origin in Singapore are from South India.
Vegetarian it is possible to find mainly restaurants, some even offer completely vegetarian menus.. The food is mostly served on plates on banana leaves, sometimes these banana leaves can be replaced by paper that imitates it.. Even if you order meat in restaurants, you are often given spoons instead of cutlery.
Traditionally, Indians eat with their right hand.. In fact, according to a friend of mine, left hand is used for toilet in India.. They did not use their left hand while eating, which they used in the toilet, due to the lack of water and giving too much importance to cleanliness.. Of course, we hope the cooks were washing their hands while preparing food.
It is quite easy to understand why tourists who step into India spend their first week with diarrhea.. In addition to Malaysia and the Philippines, traditional people in Indonesia also eat with their hands.. Of course, most of the time when you ask for napkins, they either look at you as if you wanted something strange or say no.
I have more roti on my menu.. Oily bread and pan-fried thin dough, which we can call pancakes, is served to you with spicy or curry toppings.. I prefer to have it with a salad and vegetables in the form of garlic yogurt. Served with something like curry lentils in a small bowl on the side. You are dipping and eating. The price is usually 4-6SGD (6-9TL). Yes, it is quite expensive, even in Little India.
Masala is cheaper than rotisserie, 3-5SGD (4-6TL). Hot and sour vegetables are served with thin phyllo bread.. Of course, I can not say that the masala is very satisfying.. Not bad for lunch, but certainly no substitute for dinner. Another alternative is the pancake with scrambled eggs, called murtabak or martabak, which I often eat in Indonesia.. For some reason, I didn’t like it here, it’s too oily and the meat in it is not for me.. Biryani consisting of curried chicken and rice was also on my menu from time to time.
There are much richer alternatives for seafood lovers.. It is easy to find dozens of kinds of seafood or menus made with them, especially in food courts in most places.. Dozens of such small restaurants are lined up side by side in the area between Bugis Junction and Little India, which is known as Albert Square.. My preference in these food courts is mostly chicken and rice.. Again, freshly squeezed juices are easy to find here (1-2SGD). For a few dollars it is possible to fill your stomach here.. Singaporeans have strict working hours. Lunch breaks are very valuable for them.. Since they are fond of spending their time with pleasure, and wherever you see a long queue, it is recommended to join the queue.
When I come to Singapore, Bugis Junction, the subway station he got off to reach Little India, appeals to those with a good budget.. You have to make an effort not to get lost among dozens of luxury stores and shopping malls.. It’s as if a completely different city and order has been established underground.
When you step into the stores and centers that you think are only one-floor from the outside, you can reach several floors down with escalators and you can see that hundreds of shops are waiting for you there.. In general, there are food courts on the lowest floors of such shopping stores.. Those who are looking for examples of European cuisine should visit these places.. You can find local or Asian chain restaurants from popular American fast food brands here.. Of course, I can say that the prices are 2-3 times higher than Little India and other food courts.
The noodle I bought from 7-Eleven was also included in my lunches from time to time.. I think it tastes better when boiled egg, which is sometimes an unusual style, is added to it.. The hostel has boiled eggs, margarine and jam for breakfast.. I have never eaten so many boiled eggs in my life.. I bought tomatoes, peppers and carrots from the market. I do not miss these in my morning breakfasts.. Everyone’s eyes are on my plate. However, it is very easy to prepare and delicious.. Of course, I have to use soybean oil instead of olive oil.
The kitchen of the hostel is very small.. Not suitable for cooking. I did all kinds of things yesterday, but I don’t think I’ll try again. Since there was no ventilation for the kitchen, all sides were in smoke.. However, in such expensive countries, cooking yourself is the most reasonable method, both to save money and to choose a meal relatively to your heart’s content.
Kampong Glam region is also close to Little India.. Half an hour’s walk. It is possible to find Middle Eastern cuisines such as Arabian, Lebanese, Turkish and Egyptian here.. You can order tea and hookah in a pot from the restaurant called Sufi’s Corner.. Although they have many customers, I did not like their cleanliness or their service.
You can find everything from electronics, fake bags, Indian clothing to jewelery shops and restaurants in Indian shops stretching 2-3 floors.. As you wander through the colorful streets, you will always have lively, upbeat Indian music in your ears.. Prices seem reasonable for shoppers. Mustafa Center, the famous 24-hour shopping center with more than 150,000 products, is also located in this area.
There are many hotels and hostels for backpackers on Dunlop Street, where my hostel is located.. Hostel prices are between 20-40SGD, while if you want to have your own room, prices vary between 50-15SGD. I pay my The InnCrowd Hostel 20SGD per night including breakfast and free wifi. Just a few days ago, I was paying less than that for my own room in a resort-style place in the Philippines.
This is how this non-Asian city of Asia is catching on, so I have to be a little more patient.
Day 497 : Singapore:6 Little India, 13 December 2011
