In a sauce pan combine water and salt and bring it to a boil. Add rinsed barley in it and cook in a medium-low flame until tender and chewy and water is absorbed. Keep it aside.
In another saucepan heat oil and add cranberries.
Immediately add salt, sugar and oregano and sauté for 30 seconds.
Once cranberries start to release their juice, add rest of the ingredients and cook for 5-7 minutes. Turn off the flame and let it cool.
In a blender, blend the soup smooth and warm it again in the same saucepan. Add barley to it and cook for another 30 seconds. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
This is spicy and tangy soup. If you prefer your soup on a sweeter side feel free to adjust sweetener as per your taste preference and in this case you may have to adjust salt and spice accordingly.
This soup tastes best when served immediately. However, you may refrigerate the leftovers to be used the next day.
You may use leftover cooked barley for this recipe or cook barley ahead of time or days and refrigerate. When ready to use just add it to this soup.
For oil free option : simple skip the oil and combine all the soup ingredients in a saucepan. Cook until cranberries are soft and mushy. Blend and toss in cooked barley.