Ingredients

　　

Bland

Step 1

Cook with some bouillon for extra flavor. If you’ve already cooked it, you can dissolve a bouillon cube in as little water as will allow for dissolving (1/4 cup per cube if you mash it well), stir it in, then cover and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir again and serve. You can also add some sautéed or roasted garlic, caramelized onions, olive oil and lemon juice (perhaps with some parsley), or diced tomatoes (with or without some thyme or basil).

　　

Need some, have none

Step 2

Brown rice and quinoa tend to be good substitutes for barley.

　　

Too chewy

Step 3

You probably haven’t cooked it long enough. There are several forms of barley, from flakes (which cook quickly and are porridge-like) to pearl (which is possibly the most common and has a medium cooking time) to hulled (which confusingly can also be called dehulled and takes a long time to cook—as long as 1 1/2 hours!). Whatever type it is, put it back on the stove, adding extra liquid as necessary. Next time, if you soak it overnight, it will cook faster.

　　How to Repair Food, Third Edition