Barley & bulgur chopped herb salad

A healthy, fibre-rich grain salad that counts as 2 of your 5-a-day. Mint, dill and parsley, along with onions, garlic and cloves make this a winning side dish

Prep:20 mins
Cook:25 mins
plus 1 hr chilling

Serves 6
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 290
fat 9g
saturates 1g
carbs 41g
sugars 5g
fibre 7g
protein 7g
salt 0g

Ingredients

150g pearl barley
150g bulghar wheat
3 tbsp olive oil
3 white onions, halved and sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ tsp ground cloves
small bunch of parsley
small bunch of dill
small bunch of mint
½ cucumber, finely chopped
4 tomatoes, finely chopped
2 lemons, juiced

Method

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the barley. Cover and cook for 25 mins, or until tender. Meanwhile, pour boiling water over the bulghar wheat to just cover, and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and add the onions. Cook for 20-25 mins, stirring regularly, until golden and caramelised. Stir in the garlic and cloves for 30 secs.
Drain the barley and bulghar well and tip into a bowl. Add the remaining oil, the onions, and plenty of seasoning. Mix well and chill until you’re ready to serve (up to 24 hrs ahead is fine, or at least 1 hr.) Remove from the fridge 30 mins before you want to serve.
Toss through the remaining ingredients and serve on a large platter or in a bowl.