Barley & sweet potato medley

Barley is a very nutritious and fibrous cereal.  It's great for controlling sugar levels in diabetes patients and I have seen my grandparents drinking barley water as a palliative.  However it did not occupy a place in my cooking until I ate barley risotto in a restaurant in Central London.  That set me thinking about how I could use this at home.....  So here is my own Barley and sweet potato medley :)

Before you begin:
1 cup barley, boiled and drained
1 cup peanuts, coarsely powdered (in a mixer-grinder)
1 large sweet potato, peeled, washed and cut into 1 cm cubes
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tbsp refined oil

Salt and coriander to season

Good to know:

• Barley should be boiled until it is cooked right through but still retains some firmness.  (Al dente).
• You may use pumpkin or squash instead of sweet potato.  Potatoes don't work as well!
• The sweet potato I buy in London cooks very quickly, please use your own experience as a guide

Making the Barley medley

Gently mix the boiled & drained barley with crushed peanuts and set aside.

Warm the refined oil and toss cumin seeds into it, followed by ginger and green chillies.  Saute for 1 minute.  Now add cubed sweet potatoes, salt and turmeric.  Mix well and cook for about 5 minutes or until the sweet potato can be easily sliced with the back of a knife.  Now add in the peanut coated barley and mix gently so as not to mash the sweet potato.  Leave covered on the gas for about 5 minutes until the flavours are well distributed.  Season with coriander and serve hot.