Barley & Vegetable Soup with Ginger and Greens

Name: Barley & Vegetable Soup with Ginger and Greens
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup Pearl barley; 1 tablespoon Sunflower oil (or ghee); 1 medium Onion, finely diced; 2 small (about 200 g) Carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes; 2 Celery stalks, cut into 1 cm cubes; about 200 g Swede (rutabaga) or turnip, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubes; 150 g White mushrooms, quartered; 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced (optional; leave out for Pitta); 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger, finely grated; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Ground coriander; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Ground fennel; 1/4 teaspoon Ground turmeric; 2 fresh or 1 dried Bay leaves (optional; leave out for Pitta); 1/4-1/2 teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground; 1.75 litres Low-sodium vegetable stock; to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon if the stock is salted) Salt; 2 large handfuls Kale, stems removed, chopped; 1/2 cup Fresh parsley or coriander leaves, chopped

A light one-pot soup of pearl barley, root vegetables, mushrooms and kale spiced with ginger, coriander and fennel.

Prep 15 min Cook 45 min Serves 4dinner

Barley & Vegetable Soup with Ginger and Greens

Ingredients

Pearl barley1 cup
Sunflower oil (or ghee)1 tablespoon
Onion, finely diced1 medium
Carrots, cut into 1 cm cubes2 small (about 200 g)
Celery stalks, cut into 1 cm cubes2
Swede (rutabaga) or turnip, peeled and cut into 1 cm cubesabout 200 g
White mushrooms, quartered150 g
Garlic, finely minced (optional; leave out for Pitta)2 cloves
Fresh ginger, finely grated1 teaspoon
Ground coriander1/4-1/2 teaspoon
Ground fennel1/4-1/2 teaspoon
Ground turmeric1/4 teaspoon
Bay leaves (optional; leave out for Pitta)2 fresh or 1 dried
Black pepper, freshly ground1/4-1/2 teaspoon
Low-sodium vegetable stock1.75 litres
Saltto taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon if the stock is salted)
Kale, stems removed, chopped2 large handfuls
Fresh parsley or coriander leaves, chopped1/2 cup

Method

1
Rinse the barley and leave it to drain.
2
Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, swede, mushrooms and garlic in oil for about 5 minutes.
3
Add ginger, coriander, fennel, turmeric, bay leaves and black pepper and stir for 1 minute.
4
Add the barley and stock, bring to a boil, then simmer about 35 minutes until the barley is tender.
5
Stir in the kale for the last 3-5 minutes until wilted.
6
Remove bay leaves, adjust salt, stir in parsley or coriander and serve hot.

Ayurvedic rationale

Traditionally, barley is considered a light, drying grain that helps balance Kapha, and combined with warm broth and pungent spices it also suits Pitta.

Nutrition notes

Studies show that eating barley regularly can modestly lower LDL cholesterol thanks to its soluble beta-glucan fibre, and nutritionally this soup is a fibre-rich, vegetable-forward one-pot meal.

Good to know

Barley contains gluten so this soup is not suitable for coeliac disease or gluten avoidance, and anyone managing high cholesterol should follow their doctor’s advice rather than rely on this recipe alone.

Traditional wisdom is a lens, not medical advice. Please consult a professional if you have allergies or a medical condition.