I made a batch of mushroom barley soup, starting in the Instant Pot, cooking a medium chopped onion about 5 minutes in about 3 tb ghee, then added 4 cloves minced garlic, with about 2 tb minced Thai basil, a tsp of dried boletus mushrooms, and about 2 tb tomato paste, and cooked about a minute longer. Then I added a quart of chicken broth, and 2 c water, and a tb of thin soy sauce (more salt later), and a half cup of barley. I hit off, then set to Manual/20, and when done, let it release naturally.
While cooking, I washed and cut up the lb of cremini, then cooked my usual way - steamed them, boiled off the small amount of water, then browned them in another tb of ghee, for 6-7 min.
When the barley is finished, I opened the IP and salted to taste, and added a generous amount of black pepper. I added 1/3 c moong dal, to thicken it, and the browned mushrooms, and about 1/3 c crema (the last of the jar), then set the IP to Manual/12, and let it release naturally, then stirred in the remaining herbs.
The Thai basil I used as a substitute for tarragon - a favorite herb in some other cream of mushroom soup I've made, giving that slight anise flavor. I add about 1/3 of it in the beginning, and 2/3 near the end, with a small amount of regular basil, and about 1/4 c minced parsley.
Mushroom barley soup, with some WW barley bread. by
pepperhead212, on Flickr