Healthy Recipes

Barley and seaweed salad with cucumber and sesame

A simple green salad is given a flavour boost thanks to an easy ginger-soy dressing.

By Lisa Featherby
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 40 mins cooking plus cooling, chilling
  • Serves 4
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Serve this versatile salad on its own, or offer it as part of a shared banquet.

Ingredients

  • 80 gm pearl barley
  • 30 gm dried wakame (see note)
  • 1 telegraph cucumber, half-peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin
  • Handful of mizuna leaves (see note), to serve
Ginger-soy dressing
  • 100 ml light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil (see note) or sesame oil
  • 3 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp finely grated ginger

Method

  • 1
    Cook barley in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (35-40 minutes). Drain well, cool on a tray, then transfer to a large bowl.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, pour boiling water over wakame in a bowl and stand until softened (4-5 minutes). Drain, squeeze out excess water and cool.
  • 3
    Toss cucumber with 1⁄2 tsp salt in a bowl. Stand to draw out liquid (8-10 minutes), then drain and squeeze out excess liquid. Add to barley along with wakame and refrigerate to chill (30-40 minutes).
  • 4
    For dressing, whisk ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Add to salad along with mizuna, toss to combine and serve.

Notes

Wakame is available from Asian grocers and select health-food shops. Mizuna is available from select greengrocers; substitute another soft, frilled salad leaf. Roasted sesame oil is available from select Asian grocers.
Drink Suggestion: Sparkling mineral water, slice of lemon. Drink suggestion by Max Allen

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  • undefined: Lisa Featherby