Sesame Barley with Greens

INGREDIENTS

3    cups water

½   cup uncooked barley

¼   cup rice wine vinegar

1    tablespoon brown sugar

1    tablespoon soy sauce

1    teaspoon dry powder ginger

2    tablespoons sesame oil

1    clove minced garlic

4    cups thinly sliced, chopped Swiss chard*

METHOD

Bring the 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium sauce pan and add the barley. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain and place into a large bowl, cool for a few minutes and add the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil and garlic. Cover and allow it to cool for 10 to 12 minutes and then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.  Add the sliced greens to the bowl, mix to combine and serve.

*COOKS NOTE: While I was chopping up the chard, it seemed too tough to go into a salad so I added the barley (after it was cooked and drained) to the greens thus partially wilting them. I then added the dressing and refrigerated the whole thing together. It turned out great.

Based on a recipe from Cooking Light magazine