(NAPSA)—Today’s cooks have their pick of exotic spices, but these ingredients were once rare enough to inspire wars, send explorers on missions around the globe and, by some accounts, even factor in the purchase of the island of Manhattan by the Dutch. In honor of this rich history, CanolaInfo’s latest recipe collection, “Spice Route: A Journey of Global Flavors,” celebrates these onceexotic spices with an array of international dishes inspired by the famoustrade passage. “These recipes integrate spices with regional flavors from some of the most important ports of call at the time of the ancient spice trade, including China, India, Persia, Arabia, North Africa and the Mediterranean,” says award-winning chef Raghavan Iyer, who developed the collection. “Spices such as black pepper, cumin and cinnamon are standard ingredients around the world today, but it’s fascinating—and delicious—to see how each cuisine handles them differently.” Iyer showcases the transformative flavor of whole spices in dishes such as an Indian-style wild halibut, rubbed with turmeric and fin- ished with cracked black pepper, or a Persian lamb stew scented with cumin and cayenne pepper. Each flavorful recipe is made with canola oil, which is neutral in flavor, light in texture and has the least saturated fat and most plant-based omega-3 fat of all common cooking oils. It is also free of trans fat and, like other vegetableoils, is cholesterol-free. Recipes, all available at www. canolainfo.org, include: Phyllo Bundles with SaffronFlavored Chickpeas *Persian Lamb Stew with Dried Apricots Turmeric-Rubbed Wild Halibut with Cracked Black Pepper “Lentils of Arabia” with Rice, Cumin and Caramelized Onions Pork Tenderloin with Five- Spice Powder and Peppers eEthiopian Chicken with Berberi Sauce and Fresh Ginger. “Canola oil is ideal for cooking with spices,” Iyer explains. “It allows the aroma of a spice, whether delicate or assertive, to cometo the forefront of a dish. “These dishes are truly a ‘passport’ to flavors around the globe and a wonderful glimpse into the history of spices and cuisines we enjoy today.” Persian Lamb Stew With Dried Apricots Here’s a sweet and savory example of the rich flavors that can be found in therecipecollection. % cup coarsely chopped, firmly packed fresh mint leaves 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger 2 Tbsp finely chopped garlic cloves 1% tsp coarse kosheror sea salt 1 tsp cumin % tsp turmeric Canolalnfo’s new recipe collection celebrates the rich history of various spices through international dishes madewith canolaoil. % tsp cayenne pepper 1% Ibs boneless leg of lamb,fat trimmedoff and discarded, cut into 1-inch cubes % cup canola oil 4 cups finely chopped red onion 1 cup dried apricots 1 cup water 1 Thsp firmly packed dark brown sugar 2 Tbsp malt or cider vinegar % cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems 1.In medium bowl, combine mint and all spices; mix well. Add lamb andtoss to coat with marinade rub. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 30 min- utes or overnight, to allow meatto absorb flavors. 2.Preheat wok, well-sea- soned cast-iron skillet, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drizzle canola oil down its sides. As soon as oil forms shimmering pool at bottom, add onion and cook,stirring occasionally, while it stews in its own juices, about 5 minutes. Once liquid evaporates, reduce heat to medium and stir-fry until onion turns honey-brown with deep purple hue, 15 to 20 minutes. 3.Add lamb and apricots and raise heat to mediumhigh. Cook, stirring frequently, until meat sears and starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Somecanola oil will separate from onion and lamb,andglisten on top of mixture. Apricots will start to soften. 4, Add water andstir once or twice. Once it boils, which will be almost instantaneously, reduce heat to medium-low, cover wok and simmer,stirring occasionally, until lamb is forktender, about 30 minutes. Transfer lamb, apricots and onion to serving bowl and leave behind some sauce in wok. 5. Stir brown sugar into wok. Heat from sauce will melt sugar. Pour sauce over lamb and stir in vinegar. Sprinkle cilantro over stew and serve. Yield: 8 Servings. Serving Size: 1 cup. Nutritional Analysis per Serving: Calories 260, Total Fat 12 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 55 mg, Carbohydrates 22 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 13 g, Protein 19 g, Sodium 510 mg, Potassium 578 mg
