Light summer dinner...

Chicken in toasted rice: Toast 2T raw glutinous/sweet rice. Grind to a fine powder in a mortal and pestle. Slice boneless, skinless chicken breasts thinly across the grain; toss with fish sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Marinate 30 min. Stir-fry until lightly browned. Remove chicken and add rice powder to oil. Saute and push to the sides of the pan; add a little oil to the center and put chopped garlic, ginger, and sliced shallots in oil. When garlic starts to sweat, stir everything together and deglaze pan with 1/4c white wine, vermouth, or chicken broth. Add chicken, stir to coat, and warm through. Turn off heat and toss in sliced scallions and chopped thai basil.

Serve with bulgar pilaf and summer salad.

Salad: boil frozen or fresh corn kernels and edamame for about 5 minutes (they should still be slightly crunchy). Drain and toss with grated ginger, red wine vinegar, sesame oil, and chile-garlic paste. Chill until ready to serve; add chopped parsley or cilantro before serving.