Egyptian Barley Salad
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Chewy pearl barley is tossed warm with a cinnamon-and-pomegranate-molasses dressing, golden raisins, cilantro and pistachios, then plated with feta, scallions and pomegranate seeds in separate rows. The sweet-tart dressing and salty, crunchy toppings turn a plain cooked grain into a full, colourful salad.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Cook the barley. Bring a large pot of water (about 3.8 litres) to a boil and stir in the fine salt for the cooking water. Add the barley, return to a boil, and cook until tender, 20–40 minutes. Drain in a colander, spread it out on a rimmed baking sheet, and let it cool completely, about 15 minutes.
- 2
Make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, cumin and the dressing salt together in a large bowl.
- 3
Toss the salad. Add the cooled barley, raisins, cilantro and pistachios to the bowl and toss gently to combine. Season with more salt and the black pepper to taste.
- 4
Plate and garnish. Spread the barley salad evenly over a serving platter. Arrange the feta, scallions and pomegranate seeds in separate diagonal rows across the top. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil and serve.
Storage
Best served the day it's made. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days; if making ahead, add the feta, scallions and pomegranate seeds just before serving. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Source of fibre: 2.6 g fibre per 100 kcal (needs ≥ 1.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 75 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
5.2 g per serving
10.4 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 20.8 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- large pot or Dutch oven
- colander
- rimmed baking sheet
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- whisk
- large bowl
- serving platter
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 366 kcal |
| Protein | 8.8 g |
| Carbohydrate | 57 g |
| of which sugars | 14.2 g |
| of which free sugars | 5.2 g |
| Fat | 13 g |
| of which saturates | 3.3 g |
| Fibre | 9.6 g |
| Salt | 1.16 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
2.4 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
