Chicken Satay With Rice Food

CHICKEN SATAY STIR-FRY WITH ORANGE SCENTED JASMINE RICE

Steps:

• Heat water with orange zest to boiling. Add rice, return to boil, stir. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook rice until tender, 18 minutes. Fluff with fork.
• For stir-fry, heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chicken, garlic and onion, stir-fry 3 minutes. Add remaining veggies and stir-fry 5 minutes more. Heat all ingredients for sauce together in a small pot over low heat, stirring the sauce until all ingredients are combined. Transfer stir-fry to a large platter and pour sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle the platter with chopped nuts, cilantro, and basil. Serve jasmine rice in a separate dish with an ice cream scoop to serve the rice with -- it makes perfect, pretty, round portions of rice on the dinner plates.

PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN RICE BOWL

Steps:

• Cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, stir the vinegar, sugar and 100ml of water together until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumber ribbons and set aside.
• Heat the grill to medium. Mix the oil, soy, peanut butter and 100-150ml of boiling water to loosen. Divide the mixture into two, setting aside half for later. Rub the chicken with the other half, then grill for 15 mins or until cooked, turning halfway through. Thickly slice.
• Divide the rice between two bowls, top with sliced chicken and some pickled cucumber. Spoon the remaining marinade over the rice and finish with the chilli and chopped peanuts.

CHICKEN SATAY

Steps:

• KIDS the writing in bold is for you. GROWN-UPS the rest is for you. Make a yummy marinade. Peel the ginger and help them to finely grate it and tip it into a bowl. Repeat with the garlic and lime zest. Halve the lime and get your child to juice it, then mix it in a bowl with the honey, soy, curry powder and peanut butter. Get them to give it a good mix, adding a small splash of water if it's too stiff, then help them spoon two-thirds of the mix into a small pan. Set aside for Step 4.
• Now for some chicken bashing! Put the chicken in the sandwich bag, one breast at a time, getting your child to flatten each one with a rolling pin or a meat mallet - this isn't essential, but they like doing it.
• Mix the chicken with the marinade you made. Cut the chicken into strips, tip it into the remaining third of the peanut-butter mix, then get your child to stir well. Cover with cling film and chill until required. This can be done up to 3 hrs ahead.
• Cook your tasty sauce. While the chicken is marinating, pour the coconut milk into the pan and get your child to stir together with the peanut butter mix. The sauce needs to be heated gently and stirred - suitable for confident seven- or eight-year olds, under strict adult supervision.
• 'Sew' the chicken onto the skewers. The chicken needs to be threaded into 'S' shapes onto the skewers. Get your child to thread the skewers away from themselves, being careful of the sharp points. Younger ones might find this a little fiddly, so they could just push on small chunks.
• Paint the tray with oil and cook the chicken. Heat the grill to high and get your child to brush a baking tray with oil. They can then line up the skewers on the tray. Grill the skewers for about 10 mins, turning occasionally, until lightly charred.
• Make cucumber ribbons with a peeler. Using a swivel-blade peeler, get your child to peel the cucumber into a bowl, then carry on peeling the cucumber flesh into ribbons until they get to the seeds. Repeat with each side of the cucumber.
• Mix a dressing for the cucumber. Get your child to mix the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves - explain what dissolves means. Add the sweet chilli, if using, then pour over the cucumber. Add coriander if your child likes it, or serve on the side for the grown-ups. To serve, put the skewers on a platter, the sauce and salad in bowls, and serve with rice and lime wedges on the side.