Jewish · Authentic-ish Jewish
Mushroom Barley Soup
175 kcal a serving, against 207 for the traditional version. That is 32 kcal off, or 15%, with 8.8g of protein. Serves 6. 2 hours.
What the traditional version is
The traditional version starts with sweating onion, celery and carrot in a good slug of vegetable oil. Dried mushrooms are soaked and added with their dark, earthy liquid. Pearl barley goes in next, followed by fresh mushrooms, more veg and enough water to make the house smell like a country hut. Simmered till the barley gives up and the soup is as thick as stew. Finished with a good hit of black pepper and sometimes dill or parsley if the cook is feeling posh.
What changed, and what each change costs
Halved the barley, doubled the fresh mushrooms, left the dried alone
Less barley means less starch, fewer calories, and a lower carb hit. Pumping up the fresh mushrooms helps fill out the soup, gets you more chew and adds plenty of fibre. The dried mushrooms stay as they're the best bit for flavour.
What it costs you. You lose that old-fashioned porridge-like thickness. It's lighter, more brothy, and won't stick to your ribs in quite the same way. I won't call it elegant. But you can have a second bowl without feeling like you need a nap.
Cut the oil down from 40g to just 10g
Most of the oil just ends up floating, so I use a non-stick pan and sweat the veg on a low heat. You'll still get the base flavour but with three-quarters less fat.
What it costs you. The onion and carrot don't caramelise as deeply, and you won't get that oily glisten on top. If you miss it, blame me, not your arteries.
Added puy lentils for extra protein
Barley isn't exactly chicken. A handful of puy lentils cooks in the same time and actually brings the soup up to something you could call hearty, without ruining the flavour. They blend in without drawing attention.
What it costs you. It's not the classic recipe, but it's a good way to make a bowl last you till dinner. If you notice the lentils, you're looking too hard.
Kept the fresh herbs at the end but made them non-negotiable
If you don't finish with dill and parsley, the lighter soup tastes a bit flat. In the original, they were optional, not any more.
What it costs you. It's a greener finish, which I think is for the better. But if you're expecting the old brown sludge, you'll be disappointed. At least your soup isn't beige.
What goes in it
The ingredients, without the quantities. The weights are what the figures below are computed from, and they are in the book.
- Vegetable oil
- White onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Fresh chestnut mushrooms
- Pearl barley
- Puy lentils
- Water
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Fresh dill
- Fresh parsley
How it starts
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in 500g hot water for 30 minutes, then chop them.
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick pot.
- Tip in the fresh mushrooms and cook another 5 minutes till they shrink and start to give off water.
The rest of the method, and every weight, is in Authentic-ish Jewish.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 207 | 175 |
| Protein | 5.1g | 8.8g |
| Fat | 7.3g | 2.4g |
| Saturated fat | 1g | 0.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 32.4g | 32.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.5g | 5g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Jewish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked. How every number is computed sets out the method.
Allergens. gluten, celery.
The method is in the book
The original wins if you want something to line your stomach before a winter walk or dull a bit of existential dread. This version is less hearty, no question, but easier on anyone who likes feeling awake after lunch. It's full of mushroom flavour, the herbs give it a kick at the end, and the lentils do enough heavy lifting to stop it feeling like you're on a diet. If you want the classic sticky soup, don't halve the barley. If you'd rather balance things out, consider this a fair trade.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Jewish, along with 51 more. Buy the paperback
More from Authentic-ish Jewish
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- Yemenite Chicken Soup, 297 kcal a serving, 43% off
- Roast Chicken, 312 kcal a serving, 40% off
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