Caribou Mule

INGREDIENTS

50ml Bulleit bourbon whiskey
15ml Organic maple syrup
20ml Lime juice
30ml Cranberry juice
30ml Cloudy apple juice
50ml Ginger beer

METHOD

1. Pour whiskey, maple syrup, lime juice, cranberry juice and apple juice into a cocktail mixer. Top with ice and shake until combined. Fill a glass with ice and pour over with cocktail mixture. Add ginger beer to fill and stir.

GARNISH IDEAS

Mint leaves, orange peel, star anise and bourbon cherries.

(Related: Here Are More Cocktail Ideas to Prepare At Home)

Sydney Sling

INGREDIENTS

45ml Gin
45ml Blood orange juice (grapefruit juice is a great substitute)
15ml Hibiscus liqueur (elderflower Liqueur is a great substitute)
10ml Ginger liqueur (alternatively, double up on ginger juice)
25ml Fresh lime juice
10ml Fresh ginger juice
10ml Grenadine
20ml Sugar syrup (see recipe below)
Dehydrated ginger slice (or any fruit of your choice, to garnish)

METHOD

1. Combine all ingredients and shake together vigorously for five seconds.
2. Strain into your desired glass over ice and enjoy.

SUGAR SYRUP

Making sugar syrup requires equal parts sugar and water. You can also make a thicker style syrup by adding two parts sugar to one-part water.

METHOD

1. Boil the water in a saucepan, add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Store in a firmly sealed bottle or container in the fridge where it can keep for a few weeks.

The circuit breaker period extension means you won’t be able to bring mum to her favourite restaurant. But here’s an idea: why don’t you cook up your own feast at home, starting with these recipes shared by chefs? Your mum will surely appreciate the delicious dishes, as well as the time and effort you will spend cooking up a feast. 

(Related: The 5 Most Popular Instagram Recipes Of This Covid-19 Lockdown)

Spring Lamb with buckwheat seeds salad, baked beetroot and honeysuckle sauce

INGREDIENTS

300g Lamb chops (six chops)
100g Buckwheat seeds
One litre Water
One Bay leaf
80ml Chicken stock
8tbsp Extra virgin oil
30g Shallots, finely chopped
100g Beetroot, cubed one cm
50g Honeysuckle, fresh or frozen
70ml Lamb stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Toss cubed beetroot in three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil; season them with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until a fork can be easily inserted through the beetroot. Set that aside.
4. Add three tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil to a large pan and bring it up to high heat.
5. Salt and pepper both sides of lamb chops and pan sear them for 30 seconds on each side. Next, sear them on the bone side and flesh side for one minute and 30 seconds. Set the lamb chops aside.
6. In a medium-sized pot, bring the water, to a boil and add buckwheat seeds to it, along with one bay leaf. Boil it for 20 minutes or until the buckwheat seeds become al dente.

CHEF'S TIPS

1. If lamb stock is not available, it may be substituted with beef or chicken stock.
2. For a well-balanced meal, serve with a side of mixed greens or watercress salad.

Scrambled Egg & Softshell Crab with ikura roe and red curry emulsion

INGREDIENTS (SCRAMBLED EGG)

Five Fresh whole eggs
50ml Whipped cream
75ml UHT milk/Fresh milk
One gm Fresh chive, chopped
15gm Unsalted butter
Salt (to taste)
Black peppercorn, milled (to taste)

METHOD

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the whole egg until smooth. While mixing, add in the cream, milk and salt. Place aside.
2. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, then add in the egg mixture and cook over low temperature while stirring. The egg mixture is ready once it comes together in a soft yet thick consistency.
3. Add in chopped chive and a little black pepper.
4. Remove scrambled egg from the saucepan immediately so as to not overcook from residual heat.

INGREDIENTS (DEEP-FRIED SOFTSHELL CRAB)

10pcs Softshell crab
1000ml oil
100gm Tempura flour
Fine salt (to taste)
Black peppercorn, milled (to taste)

METHOD

1. Clean the softshell crab in ice water, remove the gills and scoop out the guts from inside the body.
2. Turn the crab over and pull off the bottom part of the shell, called the apron.
3. Use a kitchen towel to pat dry the cleaned softshell crab.
4. Season the crab with salt and pepper. Dust with tempura flour.
5. In the saucepot, preheat the deep-frying oil to 180°C.
6. Deep-fry the softshell crab until golden and crispy, then transfer to kitchen towel to absorb the extra oil. 

INGREDIENTS (RED CURRY PASTE)

100gm Red Thai curry paste
20gm Dried red chilli, soaked and seeded
60gm Thai belacan
30gm Lemongrass, sliced
30gm Shallot, peeled
3gm Blue ginger, peeled and sliced
One gm Coriander seed, toasted, powdered 20gm Yellow ginger, peeled, sliced

METHOD

1. Soak dried chilli in hot water and leave it overnight. Remove the seeds.
2. Combine soaked chilli, lemongrass, shallot, blue and yellow ginger in a food processor, and blend until fine paste.
3. Add in the red curry paste, belacan, and coriander powder, and blend it into a fine paste.
4. In a saucepan, cook “Rempah” paste in slow heat until dried and the oil is released. Keep the paste for the red curry emulsion.

INGREDIENTS (RED CURRY EMULSION)

500ml Coconut milk
500ml Coconut cream
50gm Palm sugar
250gm Red curry crème paste 
400ml Water
100ml Tamarind water
10gm Lime leaf
Salt, fine (to taste)
White peppercorn, milled (to taste)

METHOD

1. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the curry paste with coconut milk, cream, lime leaf, water and bring to simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Season the sauce with palm sugar, salt and pepper, tamarind water, and strain through fine strainer.

INGREDIENTS (GARNISH)

20gm Baby red radish, shaved and soaked in ice water 
50gm Salmon roe
Two gm Coriander cress/coriander leaf
Eight ml Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flake (to taste)

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Place the scrambled egg on the plate, arrange the deep-fried softshell crab onto the scrambled egg.
2. Foam the curry emulsion with hand blender/whisk and dress over the plate.
3. Arrange the shaved radish, salmon roe and coriander cress.
4. Lastly, sprinkle some sea salt and drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil.

Sautéed Tiger Prawn with Garlic Hot Bean Sauce

INGREDIENTS (SAUTEED TIGER PRAWN)

10pcs Tiger prawns live fresh/chilled fresh tiger prawns
100gm Garlic chive, thick, leek flower, blanched
40gm Garlic chive leaves, ku chye
200gm Rockmelon, cantaloupe, Parisienne scoop
500ml Garlic hot bean sauce

METHOD

1. Soak the live tiger prawn in ice water, peel the shell and trim away the legs and head. Set aside.
2. Season the trimmed tiger prawn with salt and pepper. In a saucepan, pan-sear the seasoned prawn until the meat is not translucent.
3. Add in the hot bean sauce, garlic chive, garlic chive leaves and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Place in the rockmelon ball and serve.

INGREDIENTS (GARLIC HOT BEAN SAUCE)

225gm Sweet & Sour hot bean sauce
90gm Garlic, peeled, chopped, rinsed in water
150ml Water
40gm White sugar
10ml Lime juice, fresh
10gm Arrowroot/kudzu
10ml Grapeseed oil

METHOD

1. Coarsely chop the garlic and rinse it in water; strain the garlic through a fine strainer and let it dry.
2. In a saucepot, place in the grapeseed oil and sweat the garlic until it's soft but not brown for approximately five minutes.
3. Once the garlic is cooked, add in water, hot bean sauce and sugar then bring to simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
4. In the mixing bowl, combine the arrowroot with water and keep for thickening.
5. Continue to add in the lime juice into the garlic hot bean sauce; thicken the sauce with arrowroot.

INGREDIENTS (GARNISH)

Two gm Coriander cress/coriander leaf

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Arrange the tiger prawn onto the plate and garnish it with coriander cress.
2. Serve a bowl of Japanese pearl rice on the aside.

The whole family has to continue sheltering in place until next month. But the good news is mum will still be able to enjoy dishes from her favourite restaurants, especially since they're offering delivery and takeaway menus. Here are some of them. 

15 Stamford by Alvin Leung

Mum doesn't have to wait until June to feast on chef Alvin Leung's modern Asian cuisine, as the signature dishes are available for pick-up or delivery. There's no set menu here, so you have the freedom to choose whatever suits mum's palate.

Need our recommendation? We suggest ordering the rotisserie chicken rice, using prebiotic-fed “Yuan” chicken that's roasted to golden perfection, and laksa, a glorious bowl of lemak (coconut milk) bobbing with onsen quail eggs, succulent grilled prawns, and house-made dried shrimp floss. Click here to order.

Akira Back

A Japanese- and Korean-inspired Mother’s Day affair is possible with chef Akira Back’s takeaway and delivery menu. This includes its best-selling dishes such as mushroom pizza, featuring a crisp tortilla base topped with umami aioli and truffle oil, as well as an array of sushi rolls and mixed tempura. Click here to order. 

Restaurant Jag

How does a Michelin-starred restaurant meal in the comfort of your home sound like for Mother's Day? Leave it to chef-owner Jeremy Gillon to cook up his signature hits, inspired by 40 indigenous herbs found in the French Alps region. Available for island-wide delivery are the likes of roasted French chicken with your choice of vegetable side (beetroot, potato or pumpkin); braised short ribs; and vegetable lasagna. Make it a set meal with the addition of small and large plates from the weekly specials, as well as cocktails and a bottle of wine. Click here to order. 

Kin

This difficult period may have mum craving for local champion Damian D'Silva's Peranakan specialities. She'll be glad to know that his Heritage Meals that come in small (two to four pax) and large (four to six pax) sizes are also available for pick-up and delivery. All you need to do is order at least 45 minutes in advance so the culinary team can cook up a feast of D'Silva's signature hits, including babi masak assam, sambal buah keluak and sambal prawn petai—all served with jasmine rice. 

Kin | 31 Bukit Pasoh Road, S(089845) | 6320 9180 | Click here to order

(Related: 5 Reasons To Visit Kin, Singaporean Chef Damian D'Silva's New Restaurant At Straits Clan)

It would be nice to give mum a memorable present to remind her of the lengths you've gone through to plan a different kind of Mother's Day party at home. That said, an unusual but no less special affair also calls for unique ideas like these. 

TOUGH TIMES TICKETS

Gifting mum with dining vouchers won't just satiate her appetite for good food, you'll also be helping restaurants in Singapore survive this difficult climate. Which brings us to the Tough Times Tickets, an initiative started by Preludio that allows you to buy vouchers for different restaurants that can be used on a later date. This will also give her something to look forward to once the circuit breaker measures are lifted and restaurants are allowed to open. 

(Related: Preludio’s Latest Menu Is A Well-Timed Celebration of Crafty Contemplations) 

Nyetimber 1086 Rosé

For something that she can pop and drink on the day itself, consider giving her this exceptional Cuvee. Head winemaker Cherie Spriggs and her husband, Brad Greatrix, crafted the rosé from 100 per cent estate-grown grapes with parcel-by-parcel selection from the greensand soils of West Sussex. The result? A beautifully-balanced wined that's silky and elegant, finished with floral and fruity aromas. Click here to order. 

(Related: Why Nyetimber’s Continued Success With Sparkling Wines Affirms A Growing Confidence In British Viticulture)

BAKE-AT-HOME HAMPER

If mum has always wanted to start baking but never really had the time to do it until now, this gift hamper will encourage her to follow her lifelong passion. Curated by Singapore's pastry queen Janice Wong, the set includes recipes, pre-mixes, ingredients and essential utensils beginners need to pastries and confectioneries. As a bonus, Wong has also included her dessert recipe book, Perfection in Imperfection. Click here to order. 

Empire Tea Selection

Is mum a bit particular with her morning cuppa? Consider giving her TWG Tea's Empire Tea Selection, an elegant set of tea varieties packed in 100 per cent cotton teabags. It comes with classics favourites, including the English Breakfast Tea, the 1837 Black Tea and the Royal Darjeeling Tea, crafted with exquisite leaves carefully sourced from sustainable tea farms all over the world. 

Give mum more options by tossing in individually packed tea flavours such as the Jasmine Queen Tea and the Crystal Queen Tea. The former is an intoxicating blend of green tea leaves perfumed with jasmine flowers, while the latter is a black tea variety with dazzling notes of berries and cream. Click here to order.