Vegetable Bowls
2 skinless chicken breasts
1.5L fresh chicken stock
Barley:
300 g McCain Country Vegetables (defrosted and drained)
150 g McCain Chopped Spinach (defrosted and drained)
150 g McCain Whole Green Peas (defrosted and drained)
10 ml coconut oil
500 ml dried pearl barley
Spicy Peanut Sauce:
5 ml sesame oil
3 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 cm piece ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
10 ml soy sauce
90 ml crunchy peanut butter
Fresh chillies (deseeded and chopped, to taste)
Extra vegetable stock (to thin sauce down)
Toasted whole peanuts (for garnish)
McCain poached chicken & barley buddha bowl with steamed McCain Country Mix Vegetables, Chopped Spinach, Green Peas with a spicy peanut sauce. An ideal #meatfree dish option
Serving Size: 4 portions
- For the chicken: In a medium saucepan, heat chicken stock and add the breasts. Poach the chicken until tender and juicy. Remove immediately from stock, shred the chicken, cover and set aside. Keep poaching liquid for barley.
- Meanwhile, for the barley: In a large pot, add coconut oil and barley and allow to lightly toast. Add in the chicken poaching liquid, enough to cover barley and allow to simmer on a medium heat until tender yet still al dente. If the liquid is absorbed before barley is cooked, then add more stock. Once cooked, drain and stir in McCain Vegetables and heat through.
- Meanwhile for the spicy peanut sauce: In a saucepan, heat sesame oil and fry garlic and ginger until golden. Add soy sauce, peanut butter and chillies and sauté until fragrant. Stir in about 250 ml of vegetable stock to thin the sauce down, for a creamy consistency.
- Toast peanuts for garnish.
- For serving: Spoon the barley and vegetable mix into bowls, then spoon the chicken on top of the barley mix and sauce in a side jug for serving. Top the meal with the toasted peanuts.
Variations, Hints and Tips
- Alternatively, use an oily fish such as mackerel or salmon to replace the chicken, as well as the chicken stock with fish or vegetable stock.
- The barley may be replaced with brown rice or quinoa. Ensure that you follow cooking instructions on the pack.
- Add double the vegetable stock to make a peanut broth and serve barley broth as a winter starter for an event in small bowls with Chinese spoons.
