Asian Pear And Avocado Salad With Garam Masala Syrup

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 (2-inch-long) piece cinnamon stick
• 2 (1- by 1/4-inch) pieces fresh ginger, smashed
• 2 teaspoons green or white cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 10 whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup raw green (hulled) pumpkin seeds (not roasted)
• 2 firm-ripe California avocados (1 to 1 1/4 lb)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 Asian pears (1 lb total)
• 4 oz mixed microgreens or baby greens (4 cups)

1. Bring all syrup ingredients to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer until syrup is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 1 hour. Pour syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.
2. Heat a dry heavy 10-inch skillet over moderate heat until hot, then toast pumpkin seeds, stirring constantly, until puffed and beginning to pop, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer seeds to a plate and season with salt.
3. Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then thinly slice lengthwise. Gently toss slices with 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste, then gently toss with 1/4 cup syrup.
4. Halve pears and core, then thinly slice lengthwise. Toss pear slices with remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup syrup.
5. Drain pears, reserving syrup, and arrange slices on 4 plates. Transfer avocado slices to plates with a slotted spoon, discarding syrup. Toss greens with reserved syrup from pears and salt and pepper to taste. Mound greens next to avocado and pear slices and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.

water, sugar, cinnamon stick, fresh ginger, green, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, green, california avocados, lemon juice, asian pears, mixed microgreens

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/asian-pear-and-avocado-salad-with-garam-masala-syrup-231987 (may not work)