Essentially this is an easy peasy assembly job, more than a recipe, but a tad more interesting than just the usual side of rice. Barley is basically the adult version of honeypuffs, but it's pretty easy to find in supermarkets, and is full of B vitamins and a fabulous source of fibre.
The most common variety is pearl barley, although go for hulled barley where you can as this contains more of the bran. Although widely grown and used as a flavouring in Eurasia (particularly countries like Russia, Ukraine and Georgia), dill is rarely thought of in the UK as a go-to herb. This is a massive shame, as it's surprisingly versatile, and as with many herbs packed full of vitamins and minerals (although always remember, you'd have to eat a hell of a lot of herbage to hit your RDA's, however nutrient dense they are!).
What's the A to V?
Barley is a wholegrain, so high in vitamins B1 and B3, as well as manganese, molybdenum, selenium and copper. The tomatoes add some vitamin C to the mix.
Ingredients (Serves 2):
75g of barley
1/2 a stock cube
100g cherry tomatoes
1 tsp of pomegranate molasses
Handful of dill, finely sliced
1 tbsp of olive oil
Black pepper
Optional - add a pinch of allspice, and sprinkle over some pumpkin seeds before serving.
Method
Fill a saucepan full of boiling water, add your stock cube, and cook the barley according to the packet instructions (this is usually around the 20 minute mark). You want it tender but still with bite.
Meanwhile sauté a handful of cherry tomatoes with a bit of oil in a pan, and add 1 tsp of pomegranate molasses. Fry until slightly caramelised.
- drain your barley, add to the pan with your tomatoes, then mix everything together, adding in some chopped dill and lots of pepper as you go.
Once your barley is cooked through, drain, and add to your pan containing the tomatoes. Give everything a good stir, adding in your chopped dill, a pinch of allspice if you want, and plenty of cracked black pepper.