Maghrebi Barley and Chickpea Salad

I’ve long been on a mission to rehabilitate barley into our diet. It is often seen as a pauper’s grain, when in fact it is rich in all the good stuff, and tasty to boot. The Romans recognised this, as they called gladiators hordearii, or ‘men of barley’ – it was rumoured that they feasted on barley prior to a match as the grain boosted their strength. And Avicenna noted it as suitable food for convalescents. Furthermore, the Scots pretty much venerate the stuff...