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Serve guests something that's different with hummus, fried lamb and sumac.

Armchair travellers who love their food could be opened up to a whole new world, thanks to TV chef Barry Vera.

The English-born cook fronts his own series Feast, where he takes viewers on a culinary journey, collecting recipes as he travels. And now you can try them at home with his new book, Feast Bazaar (Murdoch Books, £17.99), which takes a trip through India and Morocco and the less well-known delights of Syria.

The book begins in Kerala (the spice bowl of India), moves on to the legendary city of Marrakech and finally, to old Damascus.

While, Barry trained in France and now calls Australia home, he admits to being seduced by curry while in India and by fresh sardines in Morocco, but had his tastebuds blown away while on a visit to Damascus - said to be the oldest inhabited city in the world.

He said: "My eyes were opened to a thrilling variety of new flavours, tastes and textures.

"The people of Syria welcomed us with open arms. The food was everything it should be and deserves its high reputation. The variety of flavours and textures is so intriguing, leaving me with wonderful memories.

"In Syria, the dining experience is all about sharing. Different dishes are placed in the middle of the table and everyone helps themselves - a truly great way to eat.

"The world is an amazing place. When you travel, experience everything you possibly can. I'm sharing some of the recipes that inspired me on my journey. I hope people will enjoy them as much as I do."

So why not take your own trip to Syria, courtesy of Vera and a few dishes he bought back from his travels?

Try hummus with fried lamb and sumac, and a delicious almond pudding called muhallabia.

While looking promising as a travel writer, Vera also has impeccable credentials as a chef. Before settling in Australia in 2001 he worked for several high profile restaurants and chefs, including Marco Pierre White.

Australian Vogue Entertaining and Travel named him an "icon of Australian food" and his first restaurant, Vera Restaurant Cafe & Bar, in Melbourne, opened to rave reviews in 2006.

20g sumac

To prepare the lamb, roll the lamb fillets well in the sumac, making sure they are coated all over. Season well with salt.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook for two and a half minutes on each side to seal. The lamb will still be quite pink, if you prefer it well cooked, then cook for a further minute on each side.

Remove from the heat, cover, and rest in a warm place for five minutes, before cutting into thin slices.

To serve, spoon the hummus onto a large platter.

Arrange the lamb slices over the top. Season with a little sumac and salt and serve with bread.

Vera says: "Sumac is the powder ground from the berries of the sumac tree. It is a deep red-purple in colour and imparts a wonderful salty and fruity flavour.

"Sumac should be purchased from reputable dealers, to ensure you are using true culinary sumac, as some trees in the same botanical family can cause allergic reactions.

"Hummus is always popular, and in Syria they serve it with fried lamb rolled in sumac as an entree."

10:46am Friday 4th April 2008

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