A Lamb Barley Turnip Soup is a good way to get turnip haters to eat their share. Turnips are a winter specialty and are said to provide warmth against the cold of the season. That said, I’m sure most home cooks will agree that it is far from a popular vegetable. A turnip soup that contains the fiber and goodness of pearl barley and the flavor of meat will (in my opinion) find many enthusiasts.
What is pearl barley?
This Lamb Barley Turnip Soup uses pearl barley. It is whole grain barley that has been hulled (the outer husk removed) and usually semi-polished to retain some of the bran. This helps it cook faster. Pearl barley is rich in fiber, contains fewer calories than rice and is rich in calcium, potassium and iron. And it’s cheap. Barley makes the soup filling and nutritious. I also like the small bite and texture of these pearls.
A little meat and a lot of vegetables
The title Lamb Barley Turnip Soup puts lamb first, but actually this soup only contains 100 grams of meat (once the bones are removed) and about 3 medium turnips. A little meat goes a long way. Its job is to provide that meaty taste that makes our mouths water. That indefinable flavor, best defined for me by soy sauce, cheese or MSG, is a flavor that everyone loves. It keeps us going back for the next bite as it brings out the juices in our minds as well as our taste buds. I pressure-cooked the barley along with a few pieces of lamb on the bone, then pulled out the pieces, deboned and chopped the meat.
I cut the turnips into chunky pieces and cooked them with onions that had been stewed into a sweet, caramelized tangle. Turnips can become strong if eaten raw. But here they took on the rich, dark sugar of the onions, while becoming soft and sweet themselves. Who doesn’t love turnips prepared this way? The great thing about pearl barley is that its spongy, soft exterior eagerly absorbs the surrounding flavor. So when the vegetables were half cooked, I added the barley along with the little bit of meaty cooking water and let it simmer until the turnips were done.
When I was done, my lamb barley and turnip soup was hearty with a round, full flavor – salty, sweet with a hint of that ground-rooted pepperiness of the turnip. I ate it on one of the coldest evenings in January, snuggled up in my duvet on the couch, watching a movie. Precious, small pleasures that make life beautiful.
Lamb barley soup
A soup packed with bold flavors, fiber and nutrition.
- 100 G Pearl barley, thoroughly washed, soaked for 1 hour
- 3 medium turnips, cleaned and quartered
- 200 G lamb with bone (use enough for about 100 g of meat)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 thick cloves of garlic
- 1 tej patta or dried, Indian bay leaf
- 4-5 black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon I am willow
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Bell pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 300 ml water
- salt, if necessary
-
Place the soaked barley with the water, lamb, peppercorns and bay leaf in the pressure cooker and cook over slow heat for 20 minutes after 1 whistle.
-
Once the pressure cooker has cooled, remove the lamb pieces, debone and shred the meat. Put aside. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
-
Heat the olive oil in a deep pan or pot and add the onions. Cook over low heat until caramelized and soft. Add the garlic and fry for another 20 seconds.
-
Now add the turnips, peppers, thyme and a little water from the boiled barley, cover and cook until almost done. You may need to add a little water in between to prevent burning.
-
Then add the cinnamon powder, Worcestershire and soy sauce, followed by the barley, lamb and any stock. Mix well and add some water and salt if necessary. Bring gently to the boil. Cook for another 5 minutes and serve hot.
