Harissa Barley Chilli

Harissa Barley Chilli

This one genuinely surprised us the first time we made it. We weren't sure harissa and barley had any business being in a chilli, but trust us, they absolutely do. The harissa brings this smoky, punchy heat and the barley gives it a hearty, chewy bite that makes it feel really satisfying and substantial. It's the kind of bowl you want on a cold weeknight when you need something warming and a bit exciting. Make it tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 80 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Soak cashews in boiling water for at least 30 minutes
  • Microplane (for grating garlic & ginger)
  • Powerful blender

Ingredients

  • 1 brown onion
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 3cm piece of fresh ginger
  • 250g pearl barley
  • 1 400g tin of black beans
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp rose harissa paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tin of good quality tomatoes
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tbsp tamari
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 80g cashews
  • 120ml almond milk
  • 2 tbsp rose harissa paste
  • 1 lime
  • Pinch of salt
  • fresh coriander

Method

1

Soak the cashews

  • Place the cashews into a bowl and cover with boiling water
  • Leave to soak for at least 30 minutes before draining
  • Once ready to use, drain before using
2

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel and finely chop the onion
  • Peel and grate the garlic and ginger with a microplane
  • Rinse the barley until the water runs clear
  • Drain and rinse the beans
3

Begin the chilli

  • Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 6 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute. Add the paprika, cumin, oregano, harissa and cook for a minute to release the flavours. Next, add the tomato puree and stir for a minute before adding the barley, beans, tomatoes, stock cube and 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil then simmer on a low heat for about 40 minutes until the barley is cooked all the way through.
4

Make the cashew cream

  • Add the cashews, almond milk and harissa to the powerful blender with a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth and velvety. Add a squeeze of lime to taste
5

Finish and serve

  • Squeeze the juice from a lime into the chilli, followed by the tamari. Taste and add more lime juice, salt and pepper as desired
  • Serve in bowls garnished with a drizzle of harissa cashew cream and freshly chopped coriander

Tips & Variations

  • Nail the barley: Rinse it really well until the water runs clear before adding it to the pot. It makes a difference to the texture and stops it going gummy.
  • Adjust the heat: Harissa varies massively by brand. Start with less than you think you need, taste as you go, and add more if you want it fiery. Ian always goes heavy handed and then claims it's fine when it's clearly not.
  • Make it ahead: This one actually gets better the next day once all the flavours have had time to settle. Make a big batch and you've got lunch sorted for the week.

Why This Works

The trick here is the barley. It soaks up all that spiced, tomatoey sauce as it cooks and becomes really rich and almost meaty in texture, which means every mouthful is packed with flavour. The cashew cream stirred through at the end is the other secret weapon, it rounds off the heat and makes the whole thing feel indulgent without being heavy.