Barley pilaf with meat

First of all, we prepare the barley. This will take time, so we recommend that you do this on the eve of the planned pilaf preparation. Rinse the groats thoroughly in running water. Then we place it in a container of a suitable volume and fill it with cold water. We leave to soak for five to six hours. Ideally leave overnight. Then we put the barley on a sieve and let the water drain. Additionally, you can dry the barley on a towel. Then sprinkle the cereal in one layer on a baking sheet and place it in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. We fry the cereals for about ten to fifteen minutes, until a pronounced pleasant nutty aroma appears.

Let's move on to preparing meat and vegetables. You can use pork, chicken, ageless beef. We wash the meat, dry it and cut it into small pieces. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan and put the meat in it. Fry it until lightly golden brown over high heat. Peel the onions, wash, dry and cut into thin half rings. Add the onion to the meat, stir and continue to fry until the onion is browned. Reduce the fire to medium.

Peel the carrots, wash, dry and cut into thin strips. Add chopped carrots to the meat and onions. Pour in the seasoning for pilaf and salt to taste. Mix and keep on the stove for another two to three minutes, until the carrots soften a little.

Add tomato paste, mix.

We taste the sauce and add salt if necessary. We take into account that pearl barley will "take away" part of the salt. Simmer the meat with carrots and tomato sauce for a couple of minutes.

Put the prepared pearl barley into a frying pan on top of the resulting frying. Fill with hot water in such an amount that the liquid covers the cereal by one and a half to two centimeters.

Bring the contents of the pan to a boil, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the pilaf until the barley is fully cooked. It will take approximately forty to fifty minutes. From time to time you need to taste the seeds and draw a conclusion about the degree of readiness. If necessary, add more hot water. When the pearl barley becomes soft, but elastic, the stove can be turned off.

At the end of cooking pilaf, peel the chives of garlic. We place whole teeth in pearl barley. We close the pilaf with a lid, turn off the stove and let the dish brew for ten to fifteen minutes before serving.

We serve hot ready-made pilaf. Sprinkle with chopped herbs in portions.