Ingredients
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or cut with kitchen scissors into small pieces
2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 cups water
1 can chicken stock
2 cups jasmine rice
2 cups 300-count baby shrimp (that means 300 shrimp are in one pound)
3 scallions
20 leaves fresh basil
Directions
Whack the garlic cloves with a small, heavy skillet. Pick out the skins and throw them away. Carefully chop up the garlic – a Grown-up Helper (GH) can do this for you if you're not comfortable with your knife skills. Try placing the tip of the knife on the cutting board and hold it in place with one hand while you lift the handle up and down over the garlic with your other hand. Keep the hand pressing the knife tip on the board nice and flat and firm, making sure your fingertips do not come near the cutting edge.
Pre-heat a medium size pot over medium-high heat; add vegetable oil and chopped chicken. Your GH can chop the chicken for you if you need help. When chopping, remember: all fingers should be tucked under; keep knife blade tilted away from your body; use a knife that matches your size and skill level.
Wash your hands, knife and cutting board after handling the raw chicken.
Add the red bell pepper, fish sauce and black pepper.
Add water and chicken stock. Put a lid on the pot and raise the heat to high to bring the liquid to a boil. When the liquid boils, add the rice. When the liquid returns to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover the pot. Cook for 15 minutes.
Add the baby shrimp and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and, using scissors, chop the scallions and basil into thin slices over the pot. Stir once again and serve. This is one of many "Yum-o!" recipes – it's good and good for you. To find out more about Yum-o!, Rachael's nonprofit organization, go to www.yum-o.org.