Home Entertaining Ideas - Spice It Up with Asian Fusion

(ARA) - After decades of being satisfied with mild foods, American consumers are now craving bold flavors that pack a punch - hot and spicy, sweet and heat, and other interesting combinations.

Food experts say that Americans have become more diverse and are now better-traveled. Our food choices reflect this new lifestyle.

One of the biggest trends is the fusion of Asian and Western cuisine. Asian foods are now a permanent part of the Western diet in restaurants, and home cooking. Because people are making Asian foods part of their routine home-cooking diet, supermarkets now devote large areas of valuable shelf space to Asian foods. The range of products available is ever expanding.

Asian Fusion cuisine presents these flavors in forms and variations designed for even greater appeal to contemporary American tastes.

Experts say it's just the beginning of a really big boom over the next decade. Currently we've only explored a small portion of Asian recipes. Many more exciting recipes are yet to be discovered. One sensational find is this Hazelnut Asian Lettuce Wraps recipe. Packed with exciting flavors and an unexpected crunch, they are sure to please your palate. Here is the recipe:

Hazelnut Asian Lettuce Wrap
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/4 pound turkey, ground
2 teaspoons garlic, fresh, minced
1/3 cup orange juice
1/3 cup Hoisen sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ginger, fresh, minced
1 tablespoon rice wine or white vinegar
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skin removed, coarsely chopped, divided
4 cups (8 ounces) coleslaw mix, cabbage and carrot blend
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
2 heads romaine leaves, washed, trimmed

Directions: Heat oil in large frying pan over medium high heat. Add turkey and garlic and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside.

Puree orange juice, hoisen sauce, soy sauce, ginger, vinegar and 1/3 cup hazelnuts in blender or food processor for 10 seconds, until blended.

Pour sauce over turkey and add coleslaw, green onions, cilantro and remaining hazelnuts. Mix until blended. Spoon on romaine leaves and serve.

Nutritional Analysis per Serving: Calories 350 (55 percent Calories from Fat), 23g Protein, 18g Carbohydrate, 4g Fiber, 22g Fat, 3g Sat. Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 55mg Cholesterol, 880mg Sodium.

For more recipes, visit www.hazelnutcouncil.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content