Lentil Barley Soup

Lentil Barley soup is quite a sumptuous weeknight meal, especially for the rainy autumn nights we've been having lately. Any combination of vegetables and spices will work, for that matter any type of lentils - red, brown, green, even yellow split peas, which is what I use here.

Rather than stove-top, I've come to like cooking barley and split peas in the rice cooker - roughly 1 part barley+split peas to 3 parts water. This way, I can set it and forget it, or even make ahead and store it in the fridge till I am ready to make the soup.

Thaw gently and add to the stock, along with other vegetables and spices. For a chunky stew, I add whatever winter squash is handy.

Ingredients
1 cup cooked split yellow peas
1 cup cooked barley
2 cups chopped turnip greens
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium onion sliced
6 cups stock or water
6 to 8 ripe sweet cherry tomatoes
salt to taste

spices:
1 Tablespoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Madras curry paste (I use Patak's™)
1 Tablespoon canola oil or olive oil
chopped cilantro for garnish
1 cup evaporated milk (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat the oil, sauté the onions, add the barley, split peas, turnip greens, stock, cover and simmer till green are almost done, and barley and split peas are soft
   
2. Add the bell peppers and tomatoes, cook till as soft as preferred, garnish and serve warm
3. For a creamier texture, stir in the evaporated milk