How to cook crumbly pearl barley on the water?
Pearl barley porridge is obtained by grinding the seeds of barley, as a result, only the husk and the top layer of grain are removed.This cereal has been known since ancient times, when it was widely prepared and eaten.
Nowadays, many have forgotten about pearl barley and practically do not cook it, because they believe that this porridge is tough and not tasteful at all. But it is not. Let's take a closer look at the basic methods and recipes for making barley porridge so that it turns out to be soft, tender and crumbly.
Useful properties of barley porridge
Barley rightfully belongs to the useful products, because it belongs to whole-grain cereals, and therefore undergoes minimal processing, retaining all the nutrients.
For the benefit of the body, barley porridge must be eaten on a regular basis, because it contains such vitamins:
- group B - has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, calming it;
- vitamin A - necessary for the normal functioning of the organs of vision;
- vitamin E - acts as an antioxidant, it is also responsible for the condition of the nail plate and hair;
- group D - promotes the growth and strengthening of bone tissue and joints;
- vitamin PP - has a positive effect, improving the condition of the skin, preventing its premature aging.
In the barley porridge there are other useful substances, trace elements and macronutrients, as well as amino acids.
For example, fiber, which is in the composition of barley, helps to establish the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. Gordetsin - being a natural antibacterial component, allows to cope with pathogenic microflora.
This croup belongs to pretty low calorie foodsIts caloric value is 320 kcal. Therefore, such porridge is often included in the quality of food, while following a diet. Due to its beneficial properties, this product is included in the menu in children's, military and medical institutions.
Useful tips and tricks
Here are some useful tips and recommendations that will help prepare the barley correctly.
- During cooking, this cereal can increase in volume up to 5 times. It is worth taking into account when choosing a container for cooking porridge.
- It is difficult to determine in advance the exact boiling time for barley porridge, since many factors influence this process. Everything will depend on the quality of the grain, the dishes used for its preparation, as well as the method of cooking. On average, the process of cooking this dish is from 1 to 1.5 hours.
- The consistency of the finished porridge will depend on the amount of water in which the cereal is boiled. If you want to make barley porridge crumbly, then for 1 cup of porridge, you need to take 2 cups of water. If you prepare a barley in a larger amount of liquid, for example, by doubling the volume of water, then it will turn out to be viscous and viscous.
Popular Recipes
Consider the basic recipes, how to cook crumbly pearl barley on water. Since this porridge is made from whole grains, it will take a long time to cook. Many housewives use a method of pre-soaking cereals, leaving barley porridge in water for the whole night.
This method of cooking can significantly reduce the cooking time, since the soaked grain becomes softer and cooks faster.
Preparation of barley with pre-soaking
Rinse the cereal well under running water. Fill it with water at a ratio of 1 cup of porridge to 1 liter of water. The grain should stand for about 10 hours soaked, it is better to leave it to stand overnight. In the morning drain excess liquid, boil water and pour out the porridge.
Prepare this dish for a while, occasionally stirring and checking its readiness. It will take about 20 minutes.
In the process of cooking it is recommended to add a small amount of butter, which will give the barley a pleasant and delicate flavor. It will also keep grains from sticking together. Salt porridge at the very end, when it is almost ready.
When the porridge is cooked, the container is removed from the heat and covered with a lid.It is necessary to wrap the pot with a towel or a thick cloth, and leave in this state for another 15-30 minutes. During this time, the dish will reach full readiness.
Cooking porridge without soaking
Grains are well washed and placed in boiling water. So that the water protrudes 2 centimeters above the level of porridge. You must wait until the barley boils, and then reduce the heat to the minimum value. On such a fire, grits are cooked for 5 minutes.
After this time, strain the barley porridge through a colander. Again, you need to fill the cereal with boiling water and boil for 5.5 minutes. This manipulation must be performed 6 times. In addition, each time the amount of water must increase so that it protrudes 1 centimeter more than the previous time. Each time the cooking time increases by 30 seconds.
The last time, pouring cereal with boiling water, it can be salted and add a little oil. When the porridge is ready, it is removed from the heat and filtered.
Vintage recipe for barley porridge
To prepare this dish you will need:
- 2 cups barley;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 40 grams of vegetable oil;
- 5.5 glasses of water.
You must first soak the barley overnight. If there is no time, you can pour boiling water over the grain and leave it for several hours. After this time, porridge poured water and put on the stove, making a big fire. As soon as it boils, the liquid is drained and again poured boiling water.
At this stage, the dish must be salted, the container is covered with a lid, reduce the heat and boil the porridge for 15 minutes.
After that, the pan must be placed in a preheated to 125 degrees oven. In the oven, barley porridge should then be another 30–35 minutes. Before serving, the dish is seasoned with vegetable oil.
There is also a standard recipe for making barley porridge, when the grain is placed in a saucepan, poured with cold water and cooked over low heat for 1-2 hours. In this case, the rump must be constantly stirred and ensured that it does not burn.
Now you know how to cook crumbly pearl barley in water and be able to pamper your loved ones with a delicious and healthy dish.
Learn more about how to cook barley porridge, you will learn from the following video.