How to Cook Barley

Barley is a very healthy grain whose origins are in eastern Africa. It was and remains a popular food in the continent and beyond. It's high in fiber and is reported to help reduce cholesterol and regulate blood sugar, but the reason most people who eat it love it, is the taste.

Most of the time when someone doesn't like barley, it's because it hasn't been properly prepared. When it hasn't been cooked properly, it has a kind of funky aftertaste that is fine in beer, but not very tasty in a pilaf.

Ingredients:

1/2 kg. pearl barley
water for soaking and cooking
1 teaspoon gray salt if it will be eaten plain

Instructions:

First of all, inspect your barley to make sure there are no stones or off color grains in it.
Next, heat a large pan or pot on high heat. Do not add any oil or anything.
Pour in the barley grains, and stir them slowly until most of them are a little browned. This is dry roasting.
Remove the pan or pot from the heat, and shake it around until it cools a bit.
Rinse the barley by filling the pot with water, stirring it, and then pouring the water off, 2 or 3 times.
Refill the pot with water, cover it loosely, and put it on top of the refrigerator or some other place out of the way but not especially cold, to ferment overnight.
The next day, pour off the water, and rinse the barley again once more.
Fill the pot with water again, and put it on the stove on high heat.
Cover it, and bring it to a boil. Stir it occasionally to prevent it clumping.
Once it's reached a good rolling boil, uncover it, and turn the heat down to medium.
If it is still boiling too vigorously, turn the heat down lower until it is still boiling, but not splashing.
Let it boil for 20 minutes to half an hour, before testing a grain or two for tenderness.
If it needs more time, give it, but check every 10 minutes.
Once it's done, pour the barley into a strainer, and shake off any excess water.
If you'll be using it for a salad, rinse it. If not, then it's ready to use in whatever recipe you're making, or eaten plain with a little salt.

Serving Suggestions:

Mix with whatever vegetables and seasonings you like. If you're going to make a pilaf, saute some vegetables, and add the barley plus a cup of broth or cream. Cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.

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