Persian Barley Soup

1/4 pound dried kidney beans
1/4 pound dried chickpeas
1/2 pound lentils
3-4 quarts water
3-4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp turmeric
3 large onions, chopped
2 TB oil
1 to 1 1/2 pound lamb shank, cut in small pieces, if boneless
or left whole with bone.
1/2 cup rice, rinsed
1 cup barley, rinsed
2 to 2 1/2 pounds mixed greens (including spinach, parsley, leeks, fresh cilantro, fresh dill weed) Proportions would be about 1 to 1 1/2 cups spinach, frozen squeezed is OK; 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped Italian flat leaf parsely, 1/2 to 1 cup fresh cilantro chopped, 1/2 to 1 cup fresh dill chopped).
2 TB fresh chopped or dried mint (less if desired)

Soak kidney beans and chick peas in water for several hours (to do this faster, you can do the microwave thing of putting them in a bowl with some water, cover, and zap for 10-15 minutes or so).

In the big pot, saute onions in oil until golden brown (reserve about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of sauteed onions for garnish when serving).

Add the meat pieces, drained beans and chickpeas, lentils, water, salt and pepper, turmeric. Those who want garlic, can put a few cloves in to simmer as well. Cover and simmer gently for about an hour. Add rice and barley, cover and simmer for 1/2 hour. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables (some people lightly saute them before adding), cover and simmer another 1/2 hour. Soup should be really thick.

Remove the meat from the pot if it was cooked whole with the shankbone, and bone it. If cooked in small pieces just leave it in the soup.

Generally, this would be served as is, with mint sprinkled on top and tiny mounds of golden brown (moist, not dry) sauteed onions arranged on top of the large serving bowl or on individual serving bowls.