Barley stir fry

Saturday January 5th, 2014

After coming home from the two week long holiday tour of the middle Atlantic, we realized we had "no" food in the apartment. After deciding a grocery store trip wasn't in our immediate future, and after a little digging, we found some odds and ends to cobble together. This was the reasonably tasty result. I was hoping it would taste more like fried rice, but the barley was a bit too mushy. I'd make it again if the only food in the apartment was barley, frozen vegetables, shrimp, soy sauce, sesame oil, and delicious Japanese ginger sauce with black sesame seeds you can apparently only buy in Kyoto, Japan (sorry).

• 1/2 bag frozen vegetables (ours had onions, carrots, and broccoli)
• 1 1/4 cup dry barley
• 1/2 bag (about 2 dozen) frozen peeled shrimp
• 4 T soy sauce
• 1 t delicious Japanese ginger spice with black sesame seeds you can apparently only buy in Kyoto, Japan (sorry)
• 1 T toasted sesame oil
• 1 T regular sesame oil

Directions

1. Prepare barley according to directions on package, we had to boil 1 cup barley in 3 cups water for 1.5 hours.
2. 10 minutes before the barley is done, heat regular sesame oil in a saute pan. Add frozen vegetables and shrimp and saute for 5 minutes until cooked.
3. Mix soy sauce, delicious Japanese ginger spice with black sesame seeds you can apparently only buy in Kyoto, Japan (sorry), and toasted sesame oil in a small dish. Set aside.
4. When barley is finished cooking, add it to the saute pan, pour on soy sauce mixture, and stir with shrimp and veggies until well mixed. Saute further until barley starts to brown slightly. Remove from heat and serve.

Notes on delicious Japanese ginger spice with black sesame seeds you can apparently only buy in Kyoto, Japan (sorry)

I went to a conference in Kyoto, Japan in August 2013 which, for the record, may be the worst time to visit Kyoto on account of the extreme heat and humidity. I stayed after the conference for a few days to check the place out, and the last day was my shopping for gifts day. After renting a bicycle, I found myself in the eastern part of the city called Gion, which is "one of the most exclusive and well-known geisha districts in all of Japan" thank you wikipedia though I didn't see any. I wandered into a little spice shop that had two nice Japanese ladies working, and we were able to communicate well enough for me to buy some spices for my friends.

Travel note: oh-ki-ni means "thank you" in Kyoto (and only Kyoto - the rest of Japan doesn't say that)

I still can't read the jar, but it's really delicious. One of the Japanese ladies and I developed a rapport after I said oh-ki-ni. She even gave me an umbrella when she noticed I looked like a scared lost puppy after the sky opened up with torrential rain and thunder (which made the prospect of riding my bike anywhere rather unattractive).