Pumpkin Stew with Barley

It is pumpkin season and we are seriously celebrating it.

Here is a stew, it is a bit spicy, which is just perfect after a cold day.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup barley simmered in 3 cups water for 1 1/4 hours
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• a pinch of grated ginger
• 1 cup pumpkin diced into 1 inch (2 cm) cubes
• 1 zucchini diced
• 5 large white mushrooms
• 1 fresh tomato diced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• pinch of cumin seeds
• 2 heaping tsp curry powder
• pinch of chili pepper flakes
• salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• fresh scallions and parsley

Instructions:

1. Start making the stew when you have 40 minutes left for the barley to be ready so you can eat the whole thing nice and warm
2. Slice the onion and garlic thinly
3. Clean and cut the vegetables and have everything ready
4. In a large pan or a wok (I suggest the wok), heat the olive oil
5. Add the onion and garlic to the pan
6. Once the onion are yellowish, add the the ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric and curry powder. Cook for a minute
7. Add the tomato and mix
8. Add 1/2 cup water and cook for 2 minutes
9. Add the pumpkin and cover the pan for 8 minutes until the pumpkin softens. You can add more water if you want to make it saucy
10. Add the zucchini and mushroom. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes
11. Add the chili pepper flakes and salt
12. Cook for 5 minutes. 10 minutes maximum. It depends how you like your zucchini : a bit crunchy or soft. I vote for crunchy = no more than 5 minutes.

Pour the stew in a bowl over the barley.

Top with fresh parsley and scallions.

Mmmmh this winter will be fine…!