Healthy, fiber-rich and delicious one pot vegetable barley soup. This curried barley soup is easier than you think.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 26 minutes
  • Total time: 36 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Soup
  • Cuisine: world

Ingredients

  • ½ cup pearl barley
  • ¾ to 1 tablespoon oil (or butter)
  • ½ tablespoon ginger ((fine chopped, ½ inch))
  • ½ tablespoon garlic ((fine chopped, 2 cloves))
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
  • 1 potato ((optional, ½ cup peeled & diced to 1 inch))
  • ½ cup tomato puree ((or deseeded & chopped tomatoes))
  • ¾ to 1 tablespoon curry powder ((adjust to taste))
  • ½ to ¾ cup carrots ((1 small))
  • ¼ cup green beans ((4 to 5 French beans))
  • ½ cup green peas
  • ¼ cup sweet corn kernels ((optional))
  • ¾ to 1 teaspoon salt ((adjust to taste))
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (or 1½ tablespoon parsley (finely chopped))
  • 5 to 6 cups water (or broth (adjust as required))

Method

Preparation

  1. Add barley to a large pot and rinse very well a few times. Drain the water. If you want you can also soak it for 4 to 8 hours. Soaking helps barley cook faster and is great for digestion.

How to make Vegetable Barley Soup

  1. Pour oil to a pot and heat it. Add ginger and garlic. Saute for 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic. Then stir in the red chilli flakes.
  2. Add barley, potatoes and pour water or broth. Simmer until barley is tender and soft. Soaked barley cooks under 20 minutes. Unsoaked grains take longer.
  3. Next time to add in curry powder, tomato puree, carrot, peas, sweet corn and French beans.
  4. Stir and continue to simmer until the vegetables become tender.
  5. Add salt and taste test. If you want you can add more curry powder for flavor. Barley soup thickens upon cooling. If it is too thick for your liking pour more broth or water and simmer a little longer.
  6. Stir in the fresh herbs - coriander or parsley.
  7. Let cool down and serve barley soup. We prefer a dash of lemon juice and crushed black pepper. You may add them if you like.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.