- 1 ridged cucumber
- 1 tbsp Demerara sugar
- 1 tbsp brown rice wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- A thumb of ginger
- A bag of kale
- A pinch of dried chilli flakes
- A pack of chicken breast mini fillets
- A bag of white basmati rice
- A sachet of tamari sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 250ml hot water
- Non-metallic bowl
- Rolling pin
- Medium pan with a lid
- Measuring jug
- 1.
Rinse and halve the cucumber. Run a teaspoon down the middle to scoop out the seeds. Slice into chunks around 2 cm long. Pop them in a non-metallic bowl. Gently bash a few times with the end of a rolling pin to lightly smush them.
- 2.
Add 1 tbsp each of the sugar and brown rice wine vinegar to the cucumber with a pinch of salt. Give it a stir. Put it to one side. Lots of nice juices will run out while it pickles.
- 3.
Peel and grate the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger. Rinse the kale. Finely slice the leaves. Throw away the thick middle cores. Fill and boil the kettle.
- 4.
Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add the chicken. Fry, turning once or twice, for 5 mins till the chicken is lightly browned.
- 5.
Stir in the garlic, ginger and a pinch of chilli flakes (start with a small pinch as they are quite spicy). Sizzle for 1 min till the ginger smells sweet.
- 6.
Stir in the rice. Pour in 300ml hot water from the kettle. Pop on the lid. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat right down. Simmer for 8-10 mins till the rice is tender and the water has been absorbed.
- 7.
Stir the kale leaves into the rice, adding a splash of water of the rice is very dry. Cook and stir for 3-4 mins till the kale is just wilted. Take off the heat.
- 8.
Stir in 1 tbsp tamari. Taste and add more tamari if you think it needs it. Ladle the rice into warm bowls but fish the chicken out. Chop it or pull it apart with two forks. Pop on top of the rice. Serve with the pickled cucumber and extra tamari.
