START TO FINISH: 35 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
Toasting the barley may not be traditional to this Persian comfort food, but we found it was an easy way to subtly enhance the soup’s flavor and aroma. Shredded carrots lend an earthy sweetness, ground turmeric creates a golden hue and sour cream adds a rich and tangy touch. Be sure to use the small holes of a box grater to finely shred the carrots. For this soup, we used quick-cooking barley rather than pearled barley. Quick-cooking barley, which resembles rolled oats, allows the dish to be on the table in under 45 minutes. The dried cranberries may seem a curious addition, but they lend welcome tartness and color and are a good stand-in for hard-to-find barberries, widely used in Persian cooking.
Don’t stir the sour cream directly into the soup. Tempering it first with a bit of the hot liquid ensures it won’t curdle. Also, don’t use reduced-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt in place of regular sour cream. Greek yogurt separated when stirred in and reduced-fat sour cream lacks the proper richness.
⅔ cup quick-cooking barley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium carrots, peeled and finely shredded
1 medium leek, dark green top discarded, white and light green parts finely chopped
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
5 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries, divided
¼ cup sour cream, plus more to serve
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Chopped fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley or mint, to serve
In a large saucepan over medium-high, toast the barley, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Set the pan over medium and add the oil, carrots, leek and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the turmeric and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth and barley. Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the barley is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons of the cranberries.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and ⅓ cup of the soup, then slowly whisk this mixture back into the soup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve, with additional sour cream, the dill and remaining cranberries on the side.