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Persian Barley-Vegetable Soup

Persian Barley-Vegetable Soup

  • Makes
    4 servings
  • Cook Time
    35 minutes
  • Rating

Toasting the barley may not be traditional to this Persian comfort food, but we found it was an easy way to subtly enhance the soup's flavor and aroma. Shredded carrots lend an earthy sweetness, ground turmeric adds a golden hue and sour cream offers a touch of richness and tang. Be sure to use the small holes of a box grater to finely shred the carrots. For this soup, we used quick-cooking barley rather than the more common pearled barley. This form of barley, which resembles rolled oats, allows the dish to be on the table in under 45 minutes. The dried cranberries may seem like a curious addition, but they add welcome tartness and color and are good stand-ins for hard-to-find barberries.

Tip

Don't stir the sour cream directly into the soup. Tempering it with the hot liquid ensures it won't curdle. Also, don't use reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt in place of regular sour cream. Greek yogurt separated when stirred in and reduced-fat sour cream lacks the proper richness.

Ingredients
  • ⅔

    cup quick-cooking barley

  • 1

    tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3

    medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded

  • 1

    medium leek, dark green top discarded, white and light green parts finely chopped, rinsed and drained

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1

    quart low-sodium chicken broth

  • ¼

    cup sour cream, plus more to serve

  • 5

    tablespoons chopped dried cranberries, divided

  • 1

    tablespoon lemon juice

  • Chopped fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley or mint, to serve

Step 1

In a large saucepan over medium-high, toast the barley, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Set the pan over medium and add the oil, carrots, leek and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir in the turmeric and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and barley. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the barley is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons of the cranberries.

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and ⅓ cup of the soup, then slowly whisk this mixture back into the soup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve, passing sour cream, dill and the remaining cranberries on the side.