Macrobiotic Mushroom Barley Soup

From "The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics" by Jessica Porter

• Ready In: 24 hrs 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 8  button mushrooms, sliced
• 1⁄2 cup barley, best soaked in water overnight
• 6  cups water
• 1  inch  piece  kombu
• 3  slices gingerroot (thin slices)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 2  medium onions, diced
• 3  tablespoons rolled oats or 3  tablespoons  brown rice flour
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons barley miso (to taste)
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
•  fresh watercress (to garnish) or  parsley (to garnish)

Directions

1. Place mushrooms, barley, water, kombu, and ginger in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 40 minutes or until barley is softened. With a handheld food processor, whiz the rolled oates into almost a flour.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and saute the onions. Add the flour and saute with onions, coating them well. Take 1/2 cup of soup from the pot and slowly stir it into onion-flour mixture, avoiding lumping. Add to soup mixture.
3. Dilute miso in a cup with some of the soup. Add this liquid to the soup and let simmer 5 minutes. Right at the end, squeeze the lemon juice, if desired, into the soup. Garnish and serve.
4. Feel free to build on this soup with corn kernels, diced celery, and roasted red pepper toward the end.