How to cook barley for a side dish: recipes with photos

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Barley porridge is one of the most useful natural products known since ancient times. According to experts, barley porridge contains a huge amount of vitamins of groups A, D, B, and E, as well as calcium, iron, iodine and phosphorus. Lysine (amino acid), contained in pearl barley, provides an effective resistance to viral infections. Barley has a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive tract, improves the condition of the intestinal microflora.

It is impossible to overestimate the benefits of barley dishes. Therefore, experts strongly recommend introducing it into the diet of almost all categories of consumers.

It is known that few people have a special love for pearl barley. This is mainly due to the fact that many simply do not know how to cook barley deliciously. In fact, there is nothing difficult in this. We will tell you about how to cook delicious pearl barley porridge correctly and quickly, about recipes for simple but satisfying dishes with this cereal.article.

When to serve barley?

Many will agree that barley during a festive feast will look a little ridiculous. But it is quite appropriate as a full breakfast or lunch, as well as a hearty dinner. Going on a hike, you definitely need to take barley with you. This porridge can not only energize and give endurance and strength, it will pleasantly surprise you with its taste

For pearl barley, as a side dish, you should choose dishes with gravies and sauces. This porridge itself can be considered dryish by itself, so its combination with meat, sour cream sauce, goulash is ideal. Many people add stew, fried vegetables or mushrooms to it.

How to cook delicious barley?

Barley porridge is a great option for a nutritious breakfast, delicious lunch or hearty dinner. By adding various ingredients to it (meat, milk, honey and dried fruits), it can be turned into a more delicate and very unusual dish. In those families where children do not like this cereal, the hostess has to fantasize and experiment.

It turns out that barley porridge is also prepared with milk, water, broth, vegetables, mushrooms, meat, using various methods and creating original dishes. How to cook barley? We offer recipes for interesting dishes with this cereal later in the article.

Preparing barley correctly

To make a dish from this cereal tasty, you should certainly know how to cookpearl barley There are two types of cereals: Dutch and classic. Hollanda is distinguished by its smooth, carefully cleaned grains, which cook very quickly, resulting in a tender and soft porridge. Classic barley porridge has to be cooked much longer, but it is famous for the many useful substances it contains. The main conditions that should be followed in order to prepare delicious pearl barley are soaking, observing a certain time of cooking cereals and using the required amount of liquid. Usually, the cereal is poured with warm water for 8 hours, after which it is boiled for about half an hour.

So, we are preparing a he althy and tasty breakfast (lunch, dinner)

For those who are interested in how to cook pearl barley, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the following recipe. Use:

• pearl barley - 1 tbsp;
• one tbsp. a spoonful of butter;
• three quarters of art. spoons of s alt;
• water (the quantity is indicated in the recipe below).

From the number of ingredients proposed in the recipe, you should get six servings of delicious, very he althy and nutritious porridge. This dish takes an hour and a half to prepare.

Cooking steps

First of all, the cereal should be thoroughly washed. This saves her from dust and debris that got into it during packaging. Then barley is placed in a deep container, filled with water (1 l). It is best to do this at night, since the cereal will have to infuse for about eight, or even ten to twelve hours. Due to the longsoaking the grits eliminates excessive stickiness, which can speed up the cooking of the grains from the inside.

In the morning, the liquid that has not been absorbed is drained. The groats are washed several more times under running water, poured into a saucepan and poured with boiling water (3 cups). Then the water is s alted, brought to a boil at maximum heat, boiled for 5-7 minutes, without covering with a lid. Further, the fire can be reduced to a minimum and tightly cover the porridge with a lid. After that, the cereal is cooked for another 50 minutes.

You need to make sure that all the water is properly absorbed. In the finished porridge add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of butter (butter), carefully mix and the pan is again tightly covered with a lid. In order to enhance the effect, you can wrap the pan with a towel or an old, unnecessary jacket. The porridge is left for half an hour so that it “rests”. Served in portions, decorated with greens.

Water barley: another recipe

Those who are interested in how to cook barley on the water as a side dish, experienced housewives assure that it is not difficult to cook delicious porridge if you familiarize yourself with the most important features of cooking this dish.

It is very important to pre-soak the grains in curdled milk or cold water. The proportion is 1:1 (i.e. 1 glass of cereal to a glass of water). Barley is soaked for at least four hours, but it would be better if the grains remain infused throughout the night. Those who do not know how to cook pearl barley on water should take into account the recommendation of experienced housewives: you need to cook porridge in a large saucepan, since grainsincrease approximately five times during the cooking process.

If the side dish is cooked on the stove, it will take about one hour to cook. Some people cook porridge on fire for half an hour, after which the pan is removed and wrapped in a warm towel. At the same time, the already finished pearl barley is steamed. After the garnish is cooked (steamed), the grains are washed with boiled water.

Gastronomic secrets

Barley porridge cooked according to this recipe turns out to be unusually tasty, fragrant, crumbly, tender. At the same time, it should be remembered that it is also extremely useful.

In order for the result to be guaranteed successful, barley should be cooked under a closed lid and in no case should be stirred until the very end of cooking. You can understand whether the porridge is ready by the appearance of the grains: they should be light, soft and swollen.

One of the gastronomic secrets of this dish is that it is much he althier and tastier when hot than cold. That is why barley porridge is recommended to be eaten immediately after cooking.

Barley is considered by many to be an excellent side dish for fish, meat, vegetables, cheese and herbs. It goes well with honey, condensed milk, jam. At the same time, the ingredients complement each other qualitatively.

Classic

For those who are interested in how to cook barley deliciously as a side dish, experienced chefs offer to familiarize themselves with the classic recipe. In accordance withthe instruction contained in it, a glass of barley is washed and sorted out, damaged grains are removed.

When the water in the container in which the cereal is washed becomes clear, it is drained using a sieve or colander. Then pearl barley is poured with water and left for 9-10 hours (overnight) so that the grains swell. During this time, the cereal becomes smooth and elastic, the grains absorb almost all the water. Now it is ready to be cooked.

Pour milk into a small container and heat it up to 40 degrees. Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a boil. After that, the fire is reduced to a minimum, the container with milk is carefully placed in a water bath. Then barley is added to the milk, seasoned with sugar and mixed. During cooking, you need to monitor the level of boiling water (it can flood the fire).

How long it takes to cook barley porridge, the hostess must determine on her own. For those who are interested in how to cook pearl barley (photo below), experts warn that this is not a quick process. The finished barley becomes grayish in color. After the cereal is cooked, butter (butter) is added to it and mixed.

How to cook barley in boil bags?

Groats that are packaged in bags do not need to be soaked before cooking, as they are processed and ready for cooking. Instant porridge is added to soups or used as a side dish with meat dishes. Boil bags of pearl barleycereals like this: a bag of grains is placed in a saucepan; pour such a volume of water that it covers the bag for one to one and a half centimeters. Next, the pan is placed on the stove, turn on medium heat, add 1 tsp. s alt. After 45 min. barley is removed from the fire and the water is drained.

Cooking barley porridge in a double boiler or slow cooker

Experienced housewives assure those who are interested in how to quickly cook barley that a side dish from this cereal can be cooked much faster in a slow cooker / pressure cooker than in a saucepan. The dish is very tasty and truly airy.

The recipe for making porridge in a slow cooker is simple. It is necessary to rinse 1 glass of cereal, soak it in kefir or yogurt for 10-12 hours. Then the grains are rinsed with water, placed in a multicooker bowl, poured with 500 ml of boiling water and, turning on the “Stew” or “Cooking” option, cook porridge for half an hour. After this time, the dish should be tasted for readiness, scooping with a spoon from the very middle of the bowl. If necessary, the side dish is left to cook for another 10-20 minutes. Next, drain the liquid from the pan, rinse the dish with clean water, add oil to taste.

Barley porridge with meat

How to cook barley with meat? This question is not in vain of interest to young housewives. Deliciously cooked barley porridge with meat can be one of the most satisfying and he althy dishes on a balanced menu. Use:

• pearl barley (160 g);
• pork pulp (200 g);
• carrot (120g);
• onion (100 g);
• vegetable oil (30 ml);
• s alt (5d);
• pepper (ground, black) and other spices to taste.

The calorie content of barley with meat according to the classic recipe is 264.5 kcal/100 g.

Cooking according to the recipe

The secret of a delicious dish lies in the obligatory soaking of cereals. It is filled with water and left overnight (for eight to ten hours). This does not need to be done if instant cereals packaged in portioned bags are used to prepare breakfast (lunch or dinner). Then the grits are boiled in boiling water for 25 minutes.

Pour a little oil (vegetable oil) into a frying pan with high sides (a must!) and fry pork pieces on it. Chopped onions are added to the fried meat. It is fried until translucent, then chopped carrots are added.

The water is drained from the finished porridge and barley is put in a pan with vegetables and meat. Add s alt and spices (to taste), pour water (it should cover the porridge), cover with a lid and simmer for half an hour until the moisture has completely evaporated.

Barley with meat in a pot

If barley porridge is cooked in a pot in the oven, it turns out to be very crumbly and unusually tender. In pots, porridge is not boiled, but languishes, shrouded in heat on all sides. At the same time, all the juices from vegetables and meat are absorbed by the cereal. To prepare delicious barley, stewed in the oven, use:

• pearl barley (200 g);
• meat (beef or pork) - 250r;
• carrots (100 g);
• onion (100 g);
• tomato juice (50 ml);
• vegetable oil (40 ml);
• garlic (25g);
• s alt and spices (to taste).

Cooking

The groats are pre-soaked, dried well and fried in a dry frying pan until a beautiful golden color appears. In another pan, fry the meat with onions and carrots (grated) in hot oil. Ingredients are sequentially added to the pan. It will take approximately 5-7 minutes to fry each product.

After the meat and vegetables are fried (after 15-20 minutes), tomato juice is poured into the pan, and spices, s alt, and garlic are also added. Everything is stewed under a closed lid for about 5 more minutes.

Further, meat with vegetables, stewed in a pan, and fried barley are put into ceramic pots. Each pot is filled a little more than half. Then water is added to them (it should not reach the top by 2-3 cm). The contents are mixed with a spoon and sent to the oven.

Porridge languishes in the oven for half an hour at a temperature of 200 degrees for half an hour, and then the temperature is reduced to 180 degrees and the pots are simmered for another 1 hour. Experienced housewives recommend leaving ready-made porridge for fifteen minutes in the switched off oven. This will allow her to absorb all the juices and flavors of vegetables and meat.