SWEET N' SPICY ASIAN SPICED PECANS

2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
4 cups pecan halves*
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese five spice powder**
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons white or black sesame seeds
1 cup chopped dried fruit, optional

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the pecans and cook, stirring often, about 1 minute.

Add the sugar, five spice powder and cayenne pepper. Continue to cook, stirring, 2 minutes until the sugar turns to caramel and the nuts are fragrant.

Remove the pan from the heat, continue to stir a few minutes while adding the soy sauce, sesame seeds and dried fruit, if using. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

*You can use pecans, cashews, walnuts or any mix of nuts for this recipe. Combine nuts that are roughly the same size, so they are cooked at the same time.

**Chinese five spice powder can be found in many supermarkets and Asian stores. It contains cinnamon, star anise, black pepper, ginger and fennel seeds. You can substitute curry powder or garam masala, Indian spice mixtures.

Makes 16 servings
Source: Steve Petusevsky, Mcclatchy News Service