My Chinese cooking classes continue. For this class Bo and I worked together, I followed the recipe and he made suggested changes based on his experience.

As with the first dish I made, the flavor was good, but nothing to toss you off your chair. So we have decided this particular Chinese chef is not for us. Instead Bo wants to begin using a cookbook already in our midst.

So for awhile, the above book will be our reference of choice.

Chile Chicken with Jasmine Rice (Recipe courtesy Ching-He Huang, 2008)

Basic Jasmine Rice

12 ounces jasmine or basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear (We used brown rice because we love it so much!)
2 cups boiling water

Sauce

4 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, sliced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, sliced and finely chopped
1 medium red chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 red pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
5 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon light brown sugar

Chile Chicken

1 tablespoon groundnut oil (peanut)
9 ounces skinless chicken breasts, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced into strips
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 large spring onions (green), sliced lengthwise

For the rice:
Place the rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and add the boiling water. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then cover it with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
Uncover the pan, and remove it from the heat. Fluff up the rice grains with a fork, and serve immediately.

For the sauce:
In a blender, puree the garlic, tomatoes, ginger, chopped chile, red pepper, water, ketchup, and brown sugar.

For the chicken:
Heat a wok over a high heat, and add the groundnut oil. Add the chicken to the hot pan, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pieces start to turn brown. Add the zucchini, and red peppers and stir-fry together for another 1 minute. Pour in the sauce, and bring everything to a boil.
Season the dish with the soy sauce and garnish with the spring onions, and serve immediately with the jasmine rice.