Plan this meal for the next time you’re in a hut where you can cook with fire. 

This hearty dinner is perfect for a cold winter’s night. It is best suited for when you have a fireplace you can cook on, because it takes a fair amount of gas to cook the barley. If you want a quicker-cooking recipe, replace the barley with white rice and use about one cup less water. You can also replace dehydrated peas for 200g frozen peas if you don’t mind the weight.

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Prep time 5min
Cook time 40min
Serves Three
Cost $8-$10.

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup pearl barley
2 veggie stock cubes
1 bay leaf
200g fresh mushrooms
100g dehydrated peas (soaked in hot water for 30min prior)
4-5 cups water
½ cup sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Sauté onion with olive oil in a large pot for two minutes, add garlic, barley and bay leaf and cook a further two minutes. Add four cups of water, veggie stock, mushrooms, and peas and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low simmer for 30-40min, stirring regularly until most of the water is absorbed. You want the barley to be tender but still have a slight bite. If the mixture starts to stick or look a bit dry, add extra water. Taste and add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and top with sunflower seeds to serve.