Barley Salad with Rainbow Chard and Beets
Serves: 4
 
INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
  • 150g barley
  • 2 bunches rainbow chard
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, halved then sliced
  • 1 beetroot, boiled/steamed then peeled and chopped into cubes
  • ⅓ cup pomegranate
  • A handful of roughly chopped toasted almonds
  • 50g Feta cheese, or as per liking
For the dressing:
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon kasundi mustard (or substitute dijon mustard)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 tablespoons honey or agave
  • ¼ cup packed parsley
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Rinse the barley well and bring to a boil in a pot of salted water until cooked through. It should be slightly chewy and with a bite to it. Drain, and rinse under cold water to prevent the grains from sticking to each other.
  2. To prepare the rainbow chard, separate the leaves from the stems. Chop the stems into small pieces and keep aside. Stack the leaves on top of each other, roll tightly, and slice.
  3. Heat olive oil in a pan. Once hot, add the sliced onions and cook for a minute. Next add the chopped chard stems and cook for a couple more minutes. Finally, add the leaves and cook just until the leaves are wilted. Season and keep aside.
  4. To make the dressing, blend all the ingredients together until it forms a smooth dressing. Taste and adjust the flavours. Add the dressing to the barley as per taste (you might not need all of the dressing). Toss to coat.
  5. Assemble the salad. On top of the barley, layer the onions, greens, and cubed beetroot. Sprinkle the pomegranate and almonds, and finish by crumbling feta cheese on top. Serve with additional dressing on the side if desired.
Recipe by Sprig & Vine at http://sprigandvine.in/barley-salad-rainbow-chard/