Pearl barley “risotto” with mushrooms

Ingredients (serves 3)

• Pearl barley (dry)200 g
• Mushrooms (button)400 g
• Onion100 g
• Carrot100 g
• Garden peas (frozen)150 g
• Olive oil15 g

Also: Garlic, thyme, parsley, lemon, salt, pepper, hot water (~900 ml)

Method

1. Get ready: rinse the barley. Finely chop the onion and garlic, grate the carrot and slice the mushrooms. Have 900 ml hot water ready.
2. In a wide pot, heat 1.5 tbsp olive oil (15 g) over medium heat. Fry the onion, carrot, mushrooms and garlic for 8 min, until the mushroom liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the barley and thyme and stir over medium heat for 1 min. Pour in a ladle of hot water and stir until the barley soaks it up.
4. Keep adding water a ladle at a time and cook over low heat for 30–35 min, stirring now and then, until the barley is soft but still a little chewy.
5. For the last 3 min, stir in the frozen peas and heat over low heat until hot.
6. Take off the heat, squeeze in some lemon juice, stir in the parsley, season with pepper and add a little salt.