As we near the tail-end of the winter, there still remains some time to enjoy the delicious produce that lingers on. Of course, fresh green peas show up in everything we eat; from mutter paneer to parathas to pulaos and sabzis. Barley, on the other hand, is an ancient Indian cereal crop that often goes unnoticed in our everyday cooking. The mildly nutty grain has versatile uses in stews, bread and beverages. The pearl-like winter grain is available in abundance during the winter in India and feels alien to most people who aren’t sure how to cook with it.
For those uninitiated, barley works rather wonderfully in place of quinoa or brown rice in warm salads. When paired with the sweet, slightly crunchy green peas, the textures range from soft and mushy to crunchy. This salad can be eaten as a meal for lunch or dinner when you’re in the mood for something light, yet satiating. The cacio-e-pepe treatment to the grain salad allows to the introduction of unfamiliar ingredients in a familiar flavour and to be honest, who doesn’t like cheese and pepper? Find a recipe to make two servings, below.
Recipe:
Ingredients
- ¼ cup barley
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large onion, chopped
- ½ cup fresh green peas + carrots
- 3 tablespoon parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- Salt to taste
Method
- Wash and cook the barley in boiling water for about 30-40 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside.
- Add some butter to a pan and add the chopped onions. Saute until the onions turn translucent before adding in the peas and carrots. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water, reduce the heat and cook with the lid on for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and allow most of the liquid to evaporate before adding in the barley. Toss everything together before adding the remaining black pepper.
- Turn off the heat and sprinkle the cheese and mix well, until combined. Check for seasoning and add more salt, only if necessary. Serve warm as is, garnished with chives or with a slice of toasted bread on the side.