½ cup semi-pearled barley (I use Bob's Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills*)
2 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon shoyu or tamari
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or ½ Tablespoon dried)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon rubbed dried sage
large pinch ground cumin
1 ½ cups diced carrots
⅔ cups minced onion
⅓ cup finely diced celery
optional: ¼ cup thinly sliced green onion tops
Instructions
In a large pot, combine peas, barley, water, bay leaves, salt, shoyu, thyme, garlic, sage and cumin. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in carrots, onion, and celery. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, another 25 to 30 minutes, checking periodically and adding small amounts of additional water if needed.
Discard bay leaves. Ladle soup into warmed soup bowls and garnish with green onion tops, if desired.
Notes
*They are labeled "pearled" but they are really semi-pearled.
Recipe by Pamela Salzman at https://pamelasalzman.com/split-pea-barley-soup-recipe/