Tuesday, April 26, 2011

[S$20 Budget Meal] Steamed Tilapia Fillets, Eggs with Napa Cabbage and Seaweed Tofu Gochujang Soup


Above was one of the everyday dinners I made at home.  I was trying to be healthier so I steamed my fish in my steamer basket.  Usually I would pour hot oil to finish my steamed fish (made the fish glossy and shiny),  but decided to skip this step with the "healthier" in mind.  I added eggs in my napa cabbage because I wanted to submit this dinner to $20 Budget Meal.  This veggie dish could be cooked without adding eggs.

Total cost for this dinner was about $6.87 and I was not budgeting this meal at all, it was just a meal I prepared often at home.  It would be even cheaper without adding soup.  I would beak down the cost and provide recipes in the next page.  Again, it prove to me that it is so affordable to cook healthy meal at home, however I do need my break on weekend, it's great to eat a meal cooked by someone else and not have to stay for the clean up.  :-P

I am submitting this to "S$20 Budget Meal"  or "US$15 budget meal" hosted by Cuisine Paradise.




Steamed Tilapia Fillets with Ginger and Scallion

Cost of ingredients:
3 Tilapia fillets = $4.20
Ginger = 20c
Scallion = 20c
Total for this dish = $4.60

First rinse the fillets and place it on a steamer basket or ceramic plate.  Then, spread the ginger slices that had been soaked with soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil (for at least an hour) on top.  Lastly top with some thinly sliced scallion and steam for 15 minutes.

Eggs with Napa Cabbage

Cost of ingredients:
1/4 Napa cabbage = 50c
2 large eggs = 17c
Garlic = 10c
Total for this dish = $0.77

Wash and cut the Napa cabbage into pieces.  Heat up wok with some cooking oil.  When heated, add in the chopped garlic, stir-fry until almost golden, add in the harder part of the Napa cabbage (the white part), stir-fry for a little while, then add in the rest of the Napa cabbage, stir-fry well.  Add in salt and mix well.  Add some water and a little chicken powder.  Then pour beaten eggs on top, lightly stir until the eggs are cooked.  Serve.

Seaweed Tofu Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) Soup

Cost of ingredients:
1/2 soft tofu = 50c
Seaweed = 50c
Gochujang = 40c
Garlic = 10c
Total for this dish = $1.50

The recipe for this soup can be found here and here.

Total cost for this dinner was $6.87.  It's cheaper than a chicken fried rice we order at take out.  Chicken fried rice here cost $7.95 not including tax and tips. 

15 comments:

Belinda @zomppa said...

Dang! That definitely does NOT look like a budget dinner.

Jocie's Mom said...

Oh man! I love the Budget meal series. I always drool over at Cuisine Paradise. Now I can drool at your site too. Well done!

daphne said...

Indeed it is CHEAP! And it is fish as well which is so good for us! Fish isn't that expensive in US afterall!

I just bought a piece of barramundi for $8 (Aus, and it is only 250 grams!)

adorasbox said...

Home cooked meals are so much cheaper, healthier and tastier. We eat similarly at home and we are grateful that we eat the way we do. I would love to eat the food you prepared. Very wholesome.

Juliana said...

Lovely meal...specially the teamed tilapia. Can I come for dinner ;-)? Hope you have a wonderful week :-)

Cuisine Paradise said...

This is great! Can't believed that under $8 sing dollars you can get so many delicious dishes in US.... THanks for sharing all these with us... :)

Eric said...

Hi,

Can I ask something here. I'm hardly find those cream mentioned at malaysia like Double Cream for cooking. However, is whipped cream can be use for cooking like pasta? Or what kind of crea, should I look for to use for pasta cooking? Thanks :)

ICook4Fun said...

I've have yet to submit mine. Been so busy to cook a full course meal. I agreed with you. Having homecook meal at home is definitely cheaper. A take out fried rice will cost $6.00 :)

me said...

Wow it's not just under $20, this is under $10! :) Wonderfully healthy, the benefit of homecooking!

Little Corner of Mine said...

Hehe Belinda.

Thanks Parsley Sage, did you join the series?

Daphne, fish is not that expensive when it goes on sales. Either way definitely cheaper to eat fish at home. :)

Thanks PapaCheong, just fighting!

Thanks Adora's Box, home cooked meals are really what you stated.

Haha Juliana, my home cooked meals are all easy to prepare at home.

You're welcome Cuisine Paradise, can't wait to see the roundup. :)

Hi Eric, Double Cream is the British term for heavy cream/whipping cream/heavy whipping cream used in U.S. You can use these to made creamy pasta sauce. :)

Gert! only $6 over there? Here is between $7.95 and $8.95, not that affordable. :(

I agreed Me. People should cook more at home!

Unknown said...

You always make very good meal :)

chopinandmysaucepan said...

I love these kind of dishes, simple, cheap and easy to prepare, let alone delicious! Love your recipes!

tigerfish said...

My kind of meal!

pigpigscorner said...

Nice meal! It's so much cheaper to cook at home and you can always make it to suit your taste too!

Babe_KL said...

it used to be cheaper eating out in KL but not anymore, so homecooking shld be the way to go ;-)