RECIPE: Barley and Beans

This is a twist of our Nigerian rice and beans.

Ingredients

• Barley (1 cup)
• Beans (1 cup) (brown beans, black eye beans or kidney beans)
• Bell pepper or Tomato (fresh or canned)
• Chicken or Fish
• Pepper and salt 
• Onions 1 medium 
• Seasoning (knorr or Maggi) or stock
• Garlic/ginger
• Curry
• Thyme
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation:

• Wash and soak barley over night (easier then just cooking it straight)
• Wash and soak beans for 5 hours.
• In different pots, cooking the barley and beans in water until tender, then pour out the water and run beans and barley under the tap.
• Once they are all cooked and washed, set them aside but in different bowl
• If you are using tomatoes(fresh (chopped) or canned), pour in a pot and cook until all the juice is dried, make it into a paste then blend.
• If you are using bell pepper, blend and cook until all the water/juice is dried leaving only the pepper.
• Cook the chicken or fish with spices like: thyme, stock cube, salt, some pepper and onions. cook until tender. You can also grill your fish or chicken.

Direction:

• In a pot, pour your oil (medium heat), allow to heat a bit then pour in your remaining onions, garlic, ginger allow to simmer for 3 mins then add either your tomatoes or red bell pepper. cook for more 8 mins then add your chicken stock and or cube, curry. Allow to boil for more 8 mins on medium heat (covering the pot).
• Pour in your beans and cook for more 10 mins, checking the water level from time to time. if you need to add water, do so gradually but don't put too much or the beans will go soggy.
• Once the water level in the pot gets very little, add your barley, add pepper and salt. Cover the pot and cook on low heat until the water is dry.
• Serve warm with either chicken or fish

If you are looking for the fish or chicken on my dish..........oh well (It was in the tummy before the pic was taken)