Slow Roasted Cardamom Barley (Printable Version)

Hearty barley and lentil stew with aromatic cardamom, slow-cooked for rich, comforting flavors.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains & Legumes

01 - 1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
02 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed

→ Aromatics & Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 carrots, diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 1 large parsnip, diced
09 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
10 - 4 cups vegetable broth

→ Spices & Seasonings

11 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
16 - 1 bay leaf
17 - ½ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

→ Finishing Touches

18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
19 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
02 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium heat; add onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
03 - Add garlic, carrots, celery, and parsnip; cook for 5 more minutes until vegetables soften.
04 - Stir in pearl barley and lentils, coating them evenly with the oil and vegetables.
05 - Incorporate cardamom, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, bay leaf, and chili flakes if used; mix thoroughly.
06 - Pour in diced tomatoes with their juices and vegetable broth, stirring to combine all ingredients.
07 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
08 - Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven; slow-roast for 1 hour and 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through and adding hot water if too thick.
09 - Remove from oven, discard the bay leaf, stir in parsley and lemon juice, then adjust seasoning to taste.
10 - Serve the stew hot, garnished with additional fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It fills the house with a warm, spiced aroma that feels like the best kind of kitchen magic.
  • The slow roast coaxes out deep, earthy sweetness from the vegetables and grains you might overlook on a busy weeknight.
  • You can walk away for nearly two hours and come back to a meal that tastes like you fussed over it all day.
02 -
  • Do not use red lentils, they will dissolve into mush during the long roast and ruin the texture.
  • Stir only once during roasting or you let out too much heat and the cooking time stretches.
  • If your stew looks dry at the halfway point, add just a quarter cup of hot water, not cold or youll shock the pot.
03 -
  • Toast your cardamom in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding it to wake up the oils and deepen the flavor.
  • Use a pot thats just big enough, too much empty space and the liquid evaporates too fast.
  • Let the stew rest for ten minutes after it comes out of the oven, the flavors settle and the texture improves.

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