Barley Paella

Take a cup of barley and add three cups of water and cook it in a pressure cooker. Let it sit covered until all water is absorbed.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add couple of diced garlic and saute until they turn brown. Add couple of bay leaves, a teaspoon of cumin seeds, pinch of turmeric, and quarter teaspoon of cayenne. Add a chopped onion and saute until they turn golden brown and start becoming translucent. Add a cup each of frozen peppers (red, yellow, and green), a cup of peas, one diced fennel bulb and few flowerets from a cauliflower. Mix the cooked barley. Add a few strands of saffron soaked in cold milk. Next add two cups of low sodium organic vegetable broth. Optionally add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Put the pan on low simmer. Let it cook until all the broth is absorbed. Add a quarter cup each of green olives and cherry tomatoes halved. Garnish with a handful of coriander leaves. Share and enjoy this soul-warming hearty paella on a cold rainy afternoon.