Three-course meal to try out on Mother’s Day

What you need to know:

Tweak it. Mother’s Day is not about ordinary and routine recipes. Here is a three-course meal to make with or for your mother today

Starter
Fish Bites with Crispy Cabbage
Add an Oriental element to a special meal with these attractive and tasty fish bites. Coated in sesame seeds and served with the traditional deep fried cabbage, they are sure to impress.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the fish bites
1 ½ cups peeled shrimps (can be omitted in which case double the fish)
1 ½ cups Nile Perch or tilapia fillets
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
Oil for deep frying
For the cabbage
1 small head of cabbage
A pinch of salt
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
Soy sauce to serve

METHOD
1. Put the shrimp and fish in a food processor and blend for 20 seconds and place in a bowl and stir in the soy sauce.
2. Roll the mixture into sixteen balls and toss in the sesame seeds to coat.
3. Heat the oil for deep frying to 325 d FH and shred the cabbage and place in the hot oil. Fry for two minutes and drain and keep warm. Sprinkle the cabbage with a bit of salt and toss in the almonds,
4. Fry the balls in two batches for 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a draining spoon and serve with the cabbage and soy sauce for dipping.

Thai fried rice
This is main course. It is a hot and spicy dish is easy to prepare and makes a meal in itself.

Ingredients
1 tumpeco Basmati rice
3 tbsps vegetable rice
1 chopped onion
1 small (preferably red bell pepper, but green will do nicely), seeded and cut into ¾ cubes
200 g boneless and skinless chicken breasts cut into ¾ in cubes
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tablespoon mild curry paste
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and black pepper to taste and fried basil leaves to garnish
METHOD
1. Put the rice in a sieve and wash thoroughly under cold running water. Then put the rice in a heavy bottomed pan and add two cups of boiling water. Return to a boil and then gently simmer the pan uncovered for about ten minutes and then drain well. Spread out the grains on a tray and set aside to cool.
2. Heat a wok until hot and swirl it around. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir fry for about a minute.
3. Add the chicken, garlic, curry paste and spices and stir fry for 2-3 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cooked rice, fish sauce and seasoning. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the rice is very hot.
5. Make a well in the center of the rice and add the remaining oil. When hot, add the beaten eggs, allow to cook for about 2 minutes until lightly set, then stir into the rice.
6. Sprinkle over the fried basil leaves and serve at once.

Chinese greens


This is a tasty accompaniment. Here Chinese greens are prepared in a very simple way – stir fried and served with oyster sauce. The combination makes a simple, quickly prepared tasty accompaniment.

Serves 3-4
½ kg Chinese greens (Pak choi)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-2 tablespoon oyster sauce

METHOD
1. Trim the Chinese greens, removing any discolored leaves and damaged stems. Tear into manageable pieces.
2. Heat a wok until hot and add the oil and swirl it around.
3. Add the Chinese greens and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the green leaves wilt a little.
4. Add the oyster sauce and continue to stir-fry a few seconds more until the greens are cooked but slightly crisp. Taste and correct seasoning before serving.