Barley Bowl with Lemon Yoghurt Dressing

Pearl barley is one of the oldest cultivated grains, and it has been feeding people across Europe, North Africa and the Middle East for thousands of years. What makes it friendly in a bowl like this is the texture. Even after cooking, each grain stays a little chewy and separate, so it holds up under a dressing without going mushy. That is the reason this salad still tastes good on day two, when plenty of leafy salads have given up.

Pearl barley is the form most often sold in supermarkets, with the hull and bran polished off. It cooks in roughly half an hour in plenty of simmering water, and I like to cook a bigger pot than I need. Cooled barley keeps well in the fridge for several days, so you can make it on Sunday and assemble a bowl in five minutes on a busy weekday. Keep the dressing in a separate jar too. Lemon and yoghurt will loosen the leaves if they sit together for long, and a quick shake brings it back to smooth.

If you are cooking for one, or you want to make a lunch you can carry, pack the barley, cucumber, tomato and onion in one container and the salmon or chicken in another. Add the avocado just before eating, since it discolours once cut. A squeeze of extra lemon over the cut avocado helps it hold its colour a little longer.

This bowl sits nicely next to other lemony, herb-heavy dishes. If you want a second grain salad to make the same week, try Herby Bulgur Salad with Lemon, which uses a different grain but a similar bright dressing. For a warm plate, Baked Lemon Fish with Warm Potato Salad makes a comforting dinner with the same flavours. And if you have a crisp Greek-style salad in the fridge, a few spoonfuls of Crisp Greek Salad with Lemon Herb Dressing would be a lovely extra on the side.

A little flaky salt on the salmon, and a handful of parsley at the end, will do more for this bowl than any extra ingredient. Taste the barley before you dress it. If it tastes flat, a pinch of salt in the cooking water is usually the missing piece.