Ginger Lemongrass Pearled Barley

Oh, I’ve been waiting for this meal all year. I dedicated a raised bed in my home garden for three Southeast Asian crops: Thai basil, ginger, and lemongrass. We’re really pushing the limits of their growing conditions here in the Pacific Northwest. I wish I could keep growing them for a couple more months, but it’s best to take them out before the weather turns too cool and wet. The ginger and lemongrass ended up not being the largest, but they’re fresh and SO fragrant.

For this stir-fry, we also feature mizuna, a Japanese mustard green, green tomatoes, and garlic we harvested earlier in the summer. Cilantro blossoms have returned, too, as a garnish, from a patch on the farm that bolted.

I think this is a great example of a farm-to-table style recipe, working with whatever ingredients are in season at this exact moment. It’s a recipe that wouldn’t be possible a month from now.

1 hour
Serves 4

Grains

• 1 ½ cups dried pearled barley 

• 1 tsp salt

Stir-fry

• 1/3 cup neutral oil

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 green Calabrian peppers, seeded and minced (use serrano peppers as a replacement)

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (leave unpeeled)

• 2 Tbsp minced lemongrass (remove tough outer skin, keeping those pieces in the freezer and using them for a homemade stock)

• ¾ tsp salt

• 1 ½ cup chopped green tomatoes

• 1 ½ cup chopped Padrón peppers (seeded) and shishito peppers (unseeded)

• 1 small bunch mizuna

• 1 Tbsp soy sauce

• Leaves from 1 small bunch Thai basil

• Cilantro blossoms for garnish

1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to boil and add the dried pearled barley and 1 tsp salt. Reduce heat and cook at a low boil for 25-30 minutes until chewy and tender. Drain and set aside.

2. In a large flat-bottom pan or wok, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add the  minced garlic, Calabrian peppers, ginger, lemongrass, and salt. Let the fragrances and flavors blossoms, cooking in a single layer for about 3 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

3. Add the green tomatoes and chopped peppers and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. (Every time you add new ingredients, notice how the sound of the sizzling changes. The temperature in the pan initially drops and the sizzling returns once everything heats back up.)

4. Add the mizuna and soy sauce and cook for a few more minutes until the greens have started to wilt.

5. Add the drained pearled barley and mix until everything is incorporated evenly.

6. Serve in a individual bowls and garnish with Thai basil leaves and cilantro blossoms.

This recipe benefits from prepping all the ingredients before cooking and putting them in bowls organized by recipe steps.

This is my favorite part of the recipe, when the kitchen is filled with the smells of ginger, lemongrass, and garlic.