Soak the pearl barley or spelt in cold water for 20–30 minutes, if you have time. Soaked or not, rinse the grain thoroughly in a sieve then tip into a saucepan. Cover with plenty of water (it will expand a lot) and add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and put the lid on. Simmer until tender: about 20 minutes for spelt, 40 minutes for barley. When the grain is tender, drain and return it to the pan to keep warm.

Meanwhile, use a pestle and mortar or spice grinder to pound or grind the cumin, coriander seeds ** and **fenugreek seeds, if using. It doesn’t matter if the cumin and coriander stay quite coarse but the fenugreek should be broken down to a powder or you can use ground fenugreek.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and fry for about 10 minutes, until soft, letting it colour just a little, but not brown.

Add the mushroom pieces and fry with the onion for about 5 minutes until tender and lightly coloured. Keep stirring so that the liquid released by the mushrooms can evaporate.

Add the pounded spices and cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Add the grated ginger, garlic and chilli and stir briefly, then pour in the coconut milk. Stir well, making sure the coconut milk is fully amalgamated and mixing it with the veg. Scrape up any bits of caramelised veg or spice adhering to the base.

Bring the coconut milk to a simmer and let it bubble gently for a couple of minutes to reduce a little. Then add the spinach, a handful at a time, stirring it in as it wilts.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and a squeeze of the juice. Add the cooked barley or spelt to the pan and stir well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed, then spoon into warmed dishes, scatter with coriander, and serve.