Green Chili, Cilantro, Lime Barley

Barley, my friend Linda has been telling me can be easily substituted for rice. I quickly found that out when I made this recipe.

It was a Saturday and Burritos for lunch makes everyone happy. With some rice or barley, a stir fry (chicken, fish, vegetables), some beans, guacamole, some lettuce and with some sauces these lunches are always enjoyable. I decided I will replace the usual suspect - rice with some barley.

Soaked and cooking barley.
Cooked and seasoned.

I soaked the barley for some time and cooked it in an electric rice cooker. The electric rice cooker comes in handy whenever I want to try a new grain. I can take out the extra water if I think the grain is getting cooked faster than I thought it would and if there is too much water. That is what happened in this case. I added barley, water in the ratio of 1:3 which was a bit too much since I had also soaked it. I removed cup of water out midway and that was enough to cook it. Unlike rice, barley when cooked swells to about 3 times the size.

Green Chili, Cilantro, Lime Barley
Preparation Time:5 minutes
Cooking Time:20-25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 cup pearl barley (depending on the type of barley the water and time of cooking will vary) washed and soaked for 1/2 hour
2. 2 cups of water
3. 1/4 cup of finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
4. 4 green chilies seeds removed and finely chopped
5. 1/2 lime
6. 1 tsp of olive oil or butter

Method

1. Cook the soaked barley in an electric cooker or on the stove top. If cooking on stove top, boil water. Add the soaked barley and cook on medium flame till the barley is plumped up and fully cooked. Took about 20 minutes in the electric cooker. Stove top might be slightly shorter time.
2. Note: In both the electric cooker and stove top, keep checking in between to see if there is too much water and the barley is reaching cooked stage. Remove excess and let it cook till all the water is absorbed.
3. In a wide mouthed saute pan, add oil and when hot add in the green chilies, fry for 1/2 minute. Add in the cilantro leaves and give a quick saute. Add in the cooked barley mix it into the cilantro. Squeeze lime juice and turn off heat.

We used it for a tostada filling.

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