Vegetable Barley Soup is one of my favorites. Of course I also love Beef and Barley soup or Barley and Mushroom soup too. However, I’ve never thought to venture far from the traditional preparation. Now we’ve gone a bit wild and are combining some of my favorite flavors together for a hearty, spicy and curry inspired dinner. For this week’s French Friday’s with Dorie, we made a Vegetable Barley Soup with the Taste of Little India.
This soup could not have come at a better time. I’ve had a terrible cold for the past two weeks or so and nothing has really helped. It’s been on and off and I’ve pumped myself full of decongestants and ibuprofen in an attempt at some relief to little avail. However, the gentle heat of the ginger and red pepper flakes along with the fragrant, warm aromas from the Garam masala provided some much needed sensory appeal and soothed my symptoms greatly. I honestly felt myself breathe for the first time in quite a while. By today, I was completely better and I think it’s all because of this soup.
I am very happy that this recipe made a generous amount as I’ve been eating it all weekend and still have some left over to take to work this week for lunch.
The thing about barley though is that it expands. It also doesn’t seem to stop expanding, so the broth is nearly fully absorbed into the grain. Which of course, is fine, it’s just less liquidy by the second and third days. You can add more stock if you want, but I am enjoying the more stew like quality at this point.
This recipe was super easy to make too- which is always a plus when you are feeling under the weather and don’t want to be bothered to prep too much. I can definitely see this one being made again (and again!).
While I cannot share this delightful recipe, you can (and should!) buy the book and cook along with us. It’s great fun! Every Friday we make a new recipe. Looking forward to next weeks! For details and to see how others are recreating the dishes from this awesome book, check out the FFWD site.
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There are healing virtues in the spices used in the soup. Andrea (The Kitchen Lioness) has the best explanation of this in her Post this week. So, the fact is, the soup probably did help with your cure although I suspect you were almost there. I know what you mean about the barley. I doubled my barley portion because I wanted a more substantial soup and, well, I love barley. But, wow, did those little babies suck up the broth. I added more but think I should have increased my flavorings and spices also. My soup just didn’t have the heat that you all are talking about. Still, I’ll make it again and I am glad you liked it and feel better.
I can imagine this soup was perfect for helping you get better. It certainly was useful in warding off the chill of a rainy week. Yours looks beautiful, too!
What a lovely color! It does have a lovely flavor!
I usually make a ginger tea when I have a cold, but I’m glad to know this soup did the trick too. It was certainly delicious.