There’s a certain kind of math that only makes sense once you’ve tried it yourself.
$750 shell out!
My FM normally cooked it spicy but this time she tried a buttermilk shell out.
It turned out great too!
The morning started long before the seafood ever hit the pot. Earlier, after the Subuh prayer I quickly cleaned up the cats house and off to the wet market to buy some seafood.
The wet market at that hour has its own rhythm. Vendors calling out the morning’s catch, ice still melting off the trays, everyone moving fast before the sun gets too high. This was where the real decision-making happened.
Prawns, squids, crabs, cockles, and mussels - a kg of each. Total cost? $127.
Not that cheap, but if we dined out we would’ve easily forked out $700 north (for 10 persons).
That gap — $127 versus $700 — is the whole story, really. It’s the difference between a family meal and a small financial event.
By noon, the whole house smelled like a seafood feast. Everyone gathered round, hands and plates full, no rush to finish.
No one was checking the time. No one was splitting a bill. Just shells piling up on the table and conversation filling in the gaps between bites.
Home-cooked, cheaper, and shared with the people who matter most. Hard to beat that.
At the end of the day, a shell out concerns about who’s sitting around the table when the shells start piling up and it’s not really about the seafood.
With prices creeping up everywhere, from groceries to eating out, this $127 spread is a small reminder that a good meal doesn’t have to come with a big bill. Sometimes the cheaper option is also the better one. You just have to be willing to wake up early and haggle a little at the wet market.
Spicy or buttermilk - which shell out would you go for? 👇
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