Mother knows best

By TASTE, 8 May 2017

What was your favourite dish growing up? The one that only tastes just right when your mother makes it? The TASTE team persuaded the brave women who raised us to part with their secret recipes so we can share the love (and washing up).

Brenda's Mexican pork chops

I am definitely a child of the seventies because I remember thinking this dish was incredibly exotic - it must have been the paprika and cayenne pepper! My mom used to make it in an electric frying pan - do they even exist anymore?" - Lynda Ingham-Brown

Get the Mexican pork chops recipe here.

Maureen's Cape Malay curry

I fondly remember the aroma of my mom's curry wafting through the house. It's a dish that's all about family banter, third helpings and a serious doggie bag. - Mark Serra

Get the Cape Malay curry recipe here.

Viv's quick-and-easy panko chicken

The smell of the crispy, buttery crumb cooking is almost too good to wait for! my mom's crumbed chicken is equally good hot or cold. - Jacqueline Burgess

Get the quick-and-easy panko chicken recipe here.

Lettie's frikkadels

My mom says her mother swore by adding a few whole cloves instead of the ground spice. Once the frikkadels come out of the oven 'kraakbruin' (crispy brown) place them in a covered casserole dish to 'sweat' a little before serving. - Liesl Nicholson.

Get the frikkadel recipe here.

Lorraine's fillet in phyllo pastry

Growing up, it was seldom a question what my three sibling and I would request for our birthday dinners. This was (and still is) our family's celebratory meal. - Amy Ebedes

Get the fillet in phyllo pastry recipe here.

Rachmah's chicken pie

The pastry recipe was passed down to my mom by her late stepmother. Make it from scratch if you can! - Ashraf Booley.

Get the chicken pie recipe here.

Rolene's lemon meringue

The trick to this recipe that I learnt from my mother (which she learnt from my great aunt) is to leave it in the oven after baking for 10 minutes. This gives the meringue that crispy top. - Lene Roux

Get the lemon meringue recipe here.

Pinkie's buttermilk pudding

Despite her elaborate dinner party menus, this is my mother's most requested recipe - the simplest, most comforting nursery pudding of them all. - Kate Wilson

Get the buttermilk pudding recipe here.

Nana's Victorian sponge cake

My love affair with baking started with beating the sugar and butter together in my nana's mixing bowl. I still have it. She could whip up a sponge cake in minutes with no electric beater. We would sit on the couch together and beat that sugar and butter until it was pale and creamy. - Abigail Donnelly

Get the Victorian sponge cake recipe here.

Lesley's honey-and-macadamia nought ice cream

My mom's advice is to read this recipe carefully and to work slowly. The main thing to remember is not to overbeat the cream and egg whites. - Hannah Lewry

Get the honey-and-macadamia nought ice cream recipe here.

What is your favourite recipe from your mom? Let us know if the comments below!

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Article by TASTE

The TASTE team is a happy bunch of keen cooks and writers, always on the look out for the next food trend or the next piece of cake.
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