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← All recipesBarley Veg Pulao

Lunch Ideas

Barley Veg Pulao

A one-pot pulao made with pearl barley instead of rice. Chewier, far more filling, and it holds up in a lunchbox without going claggy.

350

kcal

15g

protein

52g

carbs

9g

fat

Per serving · makes 3 · 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • •1 cup pearl barley, soaked 2 hours
  • •1/2 cup green peas
  • •1 carrot and 1 cup beans, diced
  • •1/2 cup chana or rajma, cooked
  • •1 onion sliced, 1 tomato chopped
  • •1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
  • •1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick
  • •1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala
  • •2 tsp oil, salt to taste, 2.5 cups water

Method

  1. 1.Heat the oil, crackle the cumin and whole spices, then brown the onion properly. This is where the flavour comes from.
  2. 2.Add the ginger-garlic paste and tomato and cook until the oil separates.
  3. 3.Stir in the vegetables, chana, turmeric, garam masala and salt, and fry two minutes.
  4. 4.Add the drained barley and water. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 25 minutes until the barley is tender and the water is gone.
  5. 5.Rest covered 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Coach’s note

Barley needs the soak and it needs more water than rice. Cook it dry and it stays stubbornly hard in the middle no matter how long you leave it.

More lunch ideas

Paneer Rice Bowl with Raita

36g protein · 620 kcal · 25 min

Rajma Bowl (Portion-Smart)

27g protein · 580 kcal · 30 min

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