What is another name for pearl barley?

Description of the cereal

Barley is one of the crops that have been cultivated since ancient times.
Currently, the area under barley ranks fourth in the world in terms of popularity of cultivation. This plant belongs to the genus of cereals and can be either an annual, biennial or perennial herb. Common barley is a popular agricultural crop. Its grains are used for food, technical, feed, and brewing purposes. It is also used in the production of cereals, which are called pearl barley and barley. Today you can find many dishes not only of European cuisine, but also of many other countries of the world, the basis of which is this culture.

The plant can reach from thirty to sixty centimeters in height. The stem is straight and bare. The foliage is long and can reach 0.3 meters. Barley produces single-colored spikelets, each of which can consist of four or six sides. The culture is classified as a self-pollinating species; its flowering period occurs in June. The harvest period is considered to be from the end of July to the beginning of August.

Barley grains contain a large number of substances necessary for the body:

• fiber;
• selenium;
• vitamins;
• copper;
• chromium;
• phosphorus.

1 kg of barley food grain contains 290 kcal. Grains are considered to be most useful when sprouted. This is an important food product not only for humans, but also for animals.

How to store

To store pearl barley throughout its shelf life, the following rules should be observed:

• sealed packaging with a tight-fitting lid
• the place should be dark, dry, cool and ventilated

Shelf life: 2 years, subject to storage standards.

Do not use pearl barley after the expiration date, otherwise you risk harming your health!

Almost all Russians have been familiar with the taste and characteristic appearance of pearl barley porridge since childhood. Many people wonder what pearl barley is. Healthy food lovers also want to know what the composition of this remarkable product is rich in.

Pearl barley

Barley (from the Latin perla - pearls) is obtained by cleaning and polishing the grain, as a result of which it really becomes like pearls. There is a technology for splitting grains along the groove, and the halves polished with abrasive become similar to rice. Crushed barley absorbs water well and cooks faster than classic barley.

Cereals are used to prepare crumbly porridges, tasty side dishes, and soups.

Have you ever heard of such a dish as perlotto? Yes Yes. The name comes from the famous Italian dish risotto and is prepared in a similar way. Barley goes well with mushrooms and various vegetables, which makes it possible to prepare different versions of perlotto.

To prepare pearl barley, a special approach is required and it depends on its further use. In order for the dish to be tender and viscous, the cereal should be soaked in advance with cold water for a period of about twelve hours. Before soaking, do not forget to thoroughly rinse the cereal.

If you want the porridge to be crumbly, which can later be used for soup, salad or side dish, then you can use one of the following methods.

• “Brewing” pearl barley. For this purpose, the cereal is poured with cold water in a ratio of 1: 2, then brought to a boil and boiled for about 4 minutes. After this, the cereal is washed in a colander under running water. The washed pearl barley is placed in a pan, filled with cold water in a ratio of 1:3 and seasoned with salt to taste. Bring the cereal to a boil, reduce the heat and cook. Cooking time averages 50 minutes. When all the liquid has boiled away, cover the pan with a lid, first remove it from the heat and leave to simmer for about twenty minutes.

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• "Steaming". First you need to rinse the pearl barley, place it in an iron colander, cover with a lid and leave for about half an hour. Next, the cereal is transferred to a pan with salted water (1: 2) and cooked until completely cooked over medium heat.

• "Languor". The cereal is poured with salted boiling water, brought to a boil and cooked over medium heat for about a quarter of an hour. After this, the water must be drained, the barley should be placed in a pan, adding boiling water or broth, cover with a lid and simmer in the oven, which is heated to 140 degrees for three or even four hours. Having completed this process, wrap the saucepan with the cereal in a towel, cover it with something very warm, and leave it for 8 hours.

How to choose

When choosing pearl barley, you should pay attention to appearance, color and smell. To select a quality product, you must adhere to the following criteria:

• Upon external inspection, the cereal should be free of dark grains, moisture and various impurities.
• The size of the grains will depend on the “number”. Cereals numbered 1 or 2 have large, oblong, oval-shaped grains. Cereals numbered 2, 4 and 5 have small spherical grains.
• The color of the grains should be white with a yellowish tint, without dark spots.
• Barley should not have a musty smell.
• If you buy pearl barley in a store in a package, you should check its tightness. Don't forget to look at the production date and expiration date.

Types of cereals and their differences

Several types of cereals are made from barley, the difference between which is significant. Each product has its own characteristics, and therefore has earned great popularity in the kitchen. Barley groats differ in the types of processing and the size of the grains.

• Pearl barley. It is considered a traditional and indispensable type of porridge on any table. It has the appearance of barley grains that are freed from bran. The features of this product are ease of preparation, good taste, and quick saturation of the body when consumed. This type of porridge can be in the form of small and large fractions, with the former being better absorbed.

• Barley. This type of cereal is ground, crushed pearl barley. The grain is not polished, therefore it retains all the beneficial properties of the cereal. The porridge from it turns out homogeneous and soft. The grains can also be processed according to the “Dutch grits” type, as a result of which they are rolled into a spherical shape. This type of cereal cooks faster than pearl barley, but retains excellent taste. Barley porridge can be cooked for about 45 minutes, but its volume increases 5 times.

The calorie content of 100 grams of barley is 32.4 kcal, while pearl barley is 32.0. The vitamin content of barley is superior to pearl barley, and the same conclusion can be drawn about the mineral composition.

Calorie content

The calorie content of barley is only 324 kcal per 100 grams of dry product, so barley has the lowest glycemic index of all common cereals, including wheat, rye and oats.

But we don’t use this product in dry form, so for dishes with the addition of pearl barley there will be different calorie values, for example:

• Boiled pearl barley porridge: in water - 109 kcal
• with milk - 156 kcal

Calorie values ​​are approximate and may differ, because... When preparing dishes, different proportions and types of products are used (for example, milk with different percentages of fat content).

Barley grits

In order to successfully cook barley, you should use a few tips.

• Before cooking, the cereal should be sorted and washed thoroughly.
• Laying the cell should be done when the water is well heated.
• After the porridge is cooked, it should be left in a closed, wrapped pan for 30 minutes.
• It is better to leave the process of adding oil for a while before serving to the table on each plate.

Each person, according to his preferences, can prepare a tasty and very healthy dish from barley groats. At the same time, such a product is inexpensive, but can saturate the body with energy, vitamins and useful elements.

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To prepare the dish, you need to pour the cereal into boiling water. Then add salt to taste and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. After this, the container along with the porridge should be placed in an oven preheated to 180 degrees and served after 30 minutes.

Stages of preparing crumbly barley porridge in water:

• Place salted water in a saucepan on fire.
• The cereal is fried in a dry hot frying pan until the water boils.
• The cereal product is poured into the pan and stirred.

• The fire is set to minimum.
• The porridge is cooked until the liquid has completely boiled away.
• Add butter to the dish to taste.
• The container is wrapped and left for 20 minutes, after which it can be served.

For a recipe for delicious barley porridge, watch the following video.

Barley groats or eggs are unpolished crushed grains of barley, freed from films. There is also a cereal option in the form of chopped hulless barley - a special variety without membranous membranes on the grains. In both cases, the grains are not subject to additional processing, so they contain more fiber and nutrients than pearl barley. Another advantage of barley is its faster cooking - the grains evenly absorb moisture and boil easier.

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Yachka is perfect for making porridges, casseroles, and meatballs.

Production[ | ]

Main article: List of barley-growing countries

Mouse barley (
Hordeum murinum
) Maned barley (
Hordeum jubatum
)

In 2014, the area under cultivation worldwide amounted to 57.9 million hectares[13]. Total world production in 2020 was 141.3 million tons[14]. In 2020, 21.7 million tons were threshed in Russia (in 2016 - 19.1 million tons), with a yield of 27.9 c/ha (in 2020 - 23.5 c/ha) [ source not specified 539 days

].

World barley trade in 2014 exceeded 33.5 million tons[15].

Beneficial features

If a person consistently eats barley cereals, this can have a beneficial effect on the body. Cooked barley and pearl barley porridge contain a large amount of fiber. In addition, the rich vitamin and mineral composition of cereals is an excellent way to improve many processes in the body. The benefits of eating barley cereals are wide-ranging.

• Improved digestion. Due to the presence of fiber in this product, constipation and diarrhea can be avoided. For people of different sexes, monthly consumption of pearl barley and barley leads to normalization of intestinal motility and fat metabolism.
• Weight regulation. Since the fiber found in these products is not digested, there is no increase in body weight. With constant consumption of barley porridge, weight loss is observed and the digestibility of carbohydrates improves.
• Reduced cholesterol levels. Due to the presence of components that are part of barley cereals, the process of absorption of cholesterol in its harmful form is slowed down. This order of things helps reduce the risk of heart and vascular diseases. The presence of fiber forms propionic acid, which can suppress the protein that synthesizes cholesterol in the liver. Beta-glucan acts as a binding agent between cholesterol and bile, which is subsequently easily excreted from the body.
• Normalization of blood sugar. Since cereals from this cereal help control sugar levels, the product becomes ideal for people who suffer from diabetes or metabolic syndrome. The essential acids in barley are the basis for building proteins, and beta-glucan helps slow down the absorption of sugar.
• Prevention of heart and vascular diseases. With regular consumption of barley cereals, you can significantly reduce the risk of diseases of the heart and vascular systems. The presence of niacin, thymine, copper and magnesium in cereals can not only lower cholesterol, but also normalize blood pressure. Thanks to its rich mineral composition, pearl barley and barley porridge reduces the risk of heart disease, normalizes cholesterol metabolism, improves the condition of the arteries, and is considered a means of preventing atherosclerosis.

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• Filling the body with antioxidants. Since barley cereals contain a large amount of lignans, which are considered important antioxidants, their consumption reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease. Thanks to lignans, the bacterial flora in the intestines is normalized, possible inflammation is reduced and the general condition of the body improves. Barley antioxidants help increase the level of those substances that control hormonal levels and contribute to the preventive function of cancer.
• Saturation of the body with minerals and vitamins. A large amount of copper in the cereal helps preserve cognitive functions, maintain metabolism, produce red blood cells and normalize the nervous system. Selenium is necessary to improve a person’s appearance, it maintains the condition of hair and skin, and prevents stress.

Medicinal recipes

Due to the beneficial qualities of pearl barley porridge, it is widely used for disease prevention and medicinal purposes. There are many recipes based on this product. You need to choose the right one taking into account the existing problems:

1. For inflammatory processes of the gastrointestinal tract and after surgery on the abdominal organs, it is useful to use pearl barley decoction, which envelops the walls of the stomach. To prepare it, you need to pour 250 g of cereal into 1.5 liters of hot water, bring to a boil, then boil for 20 minutes and strain. You need to drink the remedy three times a day, 100-200 ml. Every day you should prepare a new portion of the decoction.
2. To reduce body weight, you need to eat porridge cooked in water without oil and seasonings, and also drink at least 2 liters of liquid per day. You are allowed not to limit yourself in the amount of pearl barley eaten. The duration of the diet is 5 days. During this time, about 3-5 kg ​​of excess weight will be lost.
3. To cleanse the intestines of toxins and get rid of constipation or diarrhea, it is recommended to adhere to a special diet. It involves eating barley cooked in water and fresh vegetables for 5 days (for breakfast, lunch and dinner). For snacks, you are allowed to use fruits, kefir, fermented baked milk, and yogurt. Pearl barley porridge should be seasoned only with vegetable oil and the amount of salt should be reduced. In addition, you need to drink up to 2 liters of still water per day. The liquid, together with fiber, cleanses the intestines of accumulated decay products, removes toxins and normalizes metabolic processes.

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A life-saving panacea in a plate. Pearl barley - benefits and harm to the body.

Barley flour and oatmeal

Whole grain barley flour has a delicate aroma and a slight nutty and tart flavor. Oatmeal (talkan) is an ancient product of many peoples. It is obtained by grinding sprouted barley. During the germination process, the grain gains strength - the amount of some micronutrients increases several times. Talkan is valued for its high nutritional value and easy digestibility. Drinks, first and second courses, and baked goods are prepared from it.

Flour and talkan from barley are indispensable in the menu of those who are engaged in weight loss and are forced to give up baked goods. For example, barley cakes will not harm, but rather will help the weight loss process.

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All these products can be found in our store, and you will learn how to prepare dishes from this miracle cereal in the Recipes section.