I've made this same soup successfully. My suspicion is really that I put in too much water. I cook largely by instinct (except for baking, which requires recipes) and when my instinct takes a holiday we get dishwater. I think what it needed was another can of coconut milk, another two cups of vegetable broth, and non-soggy vegetables. Also, probably about another quarter to half cup of garlic-ginger-hot-green-chili paste.

Oh. I forgot the cilantro. Sheesh. That'd help too.

I'll remember the pearl barley for when I make a conventional vegetable soup, though. Because the broth for those is often just too unhearty.

P.