In our daily life, we usually get tired and bored eating the food of the same taste. We then want to get rid of the boring taste.
So, today I am going to help you with a new recipe that will surely lighten up your day. I am going to help you with how to cook barley in your Rice Cooker.
Sounds interesting, na? This recipe will hopefully help anyone with a real different taste other than what you have regularly.
What Is Barley?
Barley is a whole grain with high-protein and healthy high-fiber with so many added health benefits. This grain was amongst the first cultivated ones.
When cooked, it has a similar chewy texture and nutty flavor as the brown rice. It is also popular and has a familiar way to eat by making barley soup.
Types Of Barley
Most of them are known as covered barley; this means it is tough and not eatable. Therefore, the outer cover must be removed before they are eaten.
I have listed below a few types of barley which are commonly available and used nowadays in the stores.
1. Hulled Barley
Sometimes called dehulled barley, also known as barley groats. It is a whole grain with the outer shell removed. Healthiest kind of cereal with chewy and fiber-rich. Cooking this takes more time almost an hour or more.
2. Hulless Barley
Consisting with an outer hull which is attached loosely to the seed. The hull generally falls while harvesting.
3. Barley Grits
This type of barley is usually made by uncovering the shell. After removing the outer shell, they are cut into smaller pieces.
4. Barley Flakes
It might remind you of the old-fashioned oats also known as rolled oats. The reason behind this is because they are made in the same way. Steaming, rolling and then drying them up. They cook faster as they are steamed lightly and having the greatest surface area.
5. Barley Flour
They are usually used in baking which also has a thickener for soups. The gluten they contain helps in rising while baking.
6. Pearl Barley
They are polished so that all the outer layer on seed is removed along with the hull. In fact, these are not whole grain barley. Although they are refined, they are healthier than the other refined grains.
These cook more quickly than the hulled barley or whole grain barley. The barley that we find in the markets are mostly pearled barley.
7. Quick Pearl Barley
They are partially cooked and dried in the flake rolling process, which makes them cook in just 10 minutes. This one is made from pearl barley and is not a whole grain.
How To Make It In A Rice Cooker?
Well, I am going to tell you how to use your rice cooker for making barley. Here is a list of the basic things that you will need first before we move on with the steps.
- Rice Cooker
- Pearled Barley or Brown Barley
- Water
- Strainer
- Wooden Spoon.
- A Clean Container or Bowl
Basic Ingredients:
- One Cup of Pearled Barley
- Two Cups of Water or One Cup of Brown Barley Soaked Overnight In 2 ½ Cups Of Water
- Pinch of Salt for Taste
N.B.: You can add more barley depending on your requirement.
Step 1 – Rinsing the Barley
Basically, you need to wash the barley properly first using clean water until it’s dirt free. Next, use a strainer to drib the water from barley.
Step 2 – Mixing
Pour 2 cups of water for pearled barley and 2 ½ cups of water for brown barley in the cooking pot. Plus, add a pinch of salt according to your taste.
Step 3 – Cooking
Place the cooking pot into the cooker. Add the pearl barley or the brown barley in the water. Stir the mixture then.
Close the lid and turn the cook button on. Let it cook until the cook button switches into a warm mood. Open the lid and carefully using cooking gloves and take out the pot. Let the barley rest for 15 minutes.
Fluff the barley using a fork. Then serve on any bowl you prefer or use in your favorite recipe.
That’s it! You are done with your barley cooking session.
Barley And Your Health
According to the FDA (Food and Drug Association), the soluble fiber present in barley can lower cholesterol and lessen the risk of heart disease.
Not only this, but this whole grain also holds insoluble fiber which reduces the risk of Diabetes mellitus type 2 (also known as type 2 diabetes) and colon cancer (large intestine cancer).
Only one cup of cooked barley gives you 193 calories with 6 grams of fiber and 3.5 grams of protein. Healthy, isn’t it?
Conclusion
Cooking is not a tough task to do. All you need is to know the easy tricks, have patience and proper guidance to master yourself. Hopefully, this simple guide will help to prepare your desired barley within moments.
For any further questions, shoot them on the comments section. I will be glad enough to help you with your queries.