Persian Barley Soup
A thick Persian soup of pearl barley, carrot, onion, celery and chickpeas, finished with lemon juice and parsley.
Photograph credit: Mushroom Barley Soup by Cajsa Lilliehook · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Flickr · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Persian Barley Soup, Step by Step
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Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes until soft.
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Stir in the turmeric, then add the barley, chickpeas and stock. Bring to the boil.
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Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the barley is tender.
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Add the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Stir in the parsley and add water if the soup is too thick.
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Notes for Getting It Right
- Rinse the barley before it goes in.
- Stir every few minutes so it does not catch.
- Add hot water if the soup thickens too much.
- Taste for lemon at the end, as barley soaks up acidity as it stands.
What to Serve with Persian Barley Soup
- Flatbread
- Plain yoghurt
- Fresh mint
- Pickled cucumber
Keeping and Reheating
Keeps in the fridge for 4 days. Freezes well for up to 3 months. It thickens as it cools, so loosen with water when reheating.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .