Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. For the pearl barley, bring the pearl barley, 2 cups of water and thyme to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 35 minutes until tender.

3. For the chiko sauce, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a deep, small frying pan over high heat. Add the beef and fry until browned, then remove from the pan. Add the remaining oil, onion and a pinch of salt, cook until golden brown. Add the carrot and cook 5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan with the thyme, parsley and 1 cup of water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook a further 30 minutes. Strain liquid into a small frying pan. Add the cabbage, green beans and barley, then bring to the boil. Reduce until it reaches a sauce-like consistency. Strain. Whisk in butter, and season to taste.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add beef and cook until browned. Add blanched green beans, carrot, cabbage and pearl barley to the pan. Stir through a little of the sauce and season to taste.

5. For the cornmeal discs, add cornmeal and 1 cup of lukewarm water to a small bowl of an electric mixer with the dough hook attached. Season with salt and pepper. Mix for 5-10 minutes until a smooth dough forms. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Briefly knead the dough on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll out the dough to 2mm thick, then cut out 10cm circles. Repeat until all of the dough has been used. Add enough oil to a small frying pan to come 1cm up the side of the pan. Heat over medium heat. In batches, fry the discs on each side until golden. Season with salt. Drain on paper towel.

6. Serve the chiko ‘stew’ in deep bowls with the chiko 'discs'.

Serves 2