Not many people know about the beneficial properties of barley porridge, although it can be safely put on a par with the so popular (especially now) buckwheat. In the same time barley porridge is an excellent side dish, a hearty breakfast and a godsend for people who adhere to proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle principles. Therefore, I’ll tell you several ways to cook barley porridge in water so it’s crumbly and tasty, and I’ll also share the secrets of barley.
Barley porridge in proper nutrition
Barley is the “sister” of pearl barley, since it is also made from barley, but barley is crushed, unpolished grains, and pearl barley is whole and processed. Thanks to crushing, the cooking speed increases, but at the same time the beneficial substances of whole grains are preserved as much as possible. Therefore, yachka not only has a unique composition, all the advantages of this cereal are obvious, or rather, they show off your figure! Which cannot but please followers of pp and those who want to lose weight.
The amount of useful substances per 100 g of product makes the cereal very satisfying and healthy:
- The protein that our body needs is a little more than 10 g!
- Proper (long-term) carbohydrates in the amount of 65.4 g, and this is very important when choosing foods for proper nutrition and weight loss.
- The optimal amount of fat (1.3 g) also contributes to weight loss and maintaining shape.
- A large amount of fiber helps the stomach function properly and cleanses the gastrointestinal tract. Barley has much more fiber than its close relative, pearl barley.
- B vitamins , important for the functioning of the nervous system, as well as vitamins A, D and E , the complex of which has a positive effect on youthful skin, hair and nail growth.
- Phosphorus - half the daily requirement in 100 g of product to maintain immunity, improve liver function, and strengthen bones and teeth.
- Silicon , responsible for the production of collagen, is 20 times higher than the daily requirement.
- Magnesium improves heart function, helps relieve stress, and even relieves headaches.
- 1/5 of the daily requirement of potassium helps relieve swelling, removing excess fluid from the body, as well as strengthening the heart muscle.
- Calorie content - 340 kcal per 100 g of dry cereal and 97 kcal per 100 g of boiled cereal . That is, if you do not abuse the egg, the natural, non-fasting process of losing weight will go with a bang!
Benefits and calorie content of barley
Due to its properties, barley porridge (not everyone knows how to cook it in water correctly) is used for preparing baby food and diet food. The main advantages of this cereal:
- It has an anti-inflammatory, diuretic and enveloping effect, therefore it is used for diabetes and extra pounds.
- This type of cereal is much better absorbed due to the increased concentration of dietary fiber, without increasing blood glucose levels.
- Helps the human body cope with allergic manifestations.
- Cereals are used as a dietary food due to their high protein gluten content.
- The product contains the amino acid lysine, which activates the production of collagen, which slows down age-related changes and smoothes wrinkles.
- Porridge has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the genitourinary and endocrine systems, helping to cope with bad mood, stress and nervous exhaustion.
- The dish is often used in folk medicine, because the decoction improves the condition of the patient with arthritis, reduced immunity, and inflammatory processes in the digestive tract after surgery.
The vitamin composition of barley porridge is presented in the following list: group B (B1, B2, B4, B5, B6, B9), K, PP.
The calorie content of the dry product is 324 kcal per 100 g.
Cooking crumbly egg on water correctly
To make the egg less high in calories and also bring maximum benefits, it is better to boil it in water. Anyone who thinks that egg cannot turn out to be as crumbly as, for example, buckwheat or pearl barley is mistaken! For crispness, you just need to strictly adhere to the proportions and thoroughly rinse the cereal before cooking. How exactly you cook the barley is up to you - it can be done equally well in a pan on the stove, in the oven, or in a slow cooker. The main thing is to remember the proportions - for 1 part of cereal we take 2.5 parts of water. It is also important to rinse the cereal itself in cold water twice or three times. Carefully drain the water and dry the cereal in any convenient way.
Crispy porridge with milk
Sometimes housewives cook with milk with the addition of some water. And this is advisable: there will be fewer calories in the dish, and the replacement will have virtually no effect on the taste. In this case, replace 1 glass of milk with water.
Take:
- Milk - two glasses.
- Cereals - one glass.
- Salt, butter and sugar.
Cook:
- Boil the milk and add the cereal. Stir well and cook for 10 - 15 minutes. When the milk on the surface of the cereal disappears, add salt and taste the dish.
- If you think the cereal is not boiled enough, cover the pan and let the porridge “cook”. Add butter and sugar at your discretion: either before simmering or after. And stir well.
How to cook a cell on the stove
To prepare crumbly barley porridge on the stove we will need:
- 2 cups barley;
- 1/3 tsp. salt;
- 5 tbsp. water;
- 1 tsp vegetable oil.
First of all, rinse the cereal well in cool water. Next, we heat it in a dry frying pan, thereby drying and warming the cereal. Be sure to stir while doing this!
After the cell has warmed up well, pour it into boiling and salted water, add oil.
Cook the porridge over low heat under a covered lid for about 35-45 minutes until the liquid has completely evaporated. After this, mix well and let it brew, wrapping the pan in a towel, for about 20 minutes.
Nuances of preparing barley groats
Before cooking, the cereal must be prepared, following some rules:
- the grains are sorted, picking out garbage;
- the product is washed three times to prepare a viscous porridge or until clear water for a crumbly dish.
It is not necessary to leave barley groats to infuse in liquid, but if you pour boiling water over it, this will improve its taste and retain more nutrients due to a decrease in heat treatment time.
Proportions for cooking porridge from a cell
How to cook barley porridge in water so that the dishes have different consistencies:
- To obtain a crumbly dish, you need to take one serving of grain for two servings of liquid, that is, 2:1.
- Fans of viscous and thick porridge should prepare 1 glass of yachka and 4 glasses of water.
- A semi-viscous consistency will be obtained if you combine 1 part grain and 3 parts liquid.
How long does it take to cook barley porridge? The cooking time of the dish depends on the type of liquid in which it will be cooked and the sequence of all work.
If you cook porridge in water, it takes about 20 minutes until the liquid boils away and the dish is ready. If cooked with milk, the porridge will be completely ready in 25 minutes.
Secrets of a side dish of yachka cooked in a slow cooker
A multicooker is very convenient because, having put in all the ingredients and selected the desired mode, we don’t have to monitor the cooking process as carefully as when cooking on the stove. For crumbly egg in a slow cooker, you will need the same ingredients and proportions as for egg on the stove - 2 cups of cereal, a little salt, 5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of oil.
You can calcinate the washed cereal separately or directly in the multicooker on the “Frying” mode. In this case, you need to pour boiling water over the cereal to avoid sudden temperature changes. Don't forget to add salt and oil. Leave the porridge for 50 minutes on the “Cereal” mode. After the signal about the end of the program, open it immediately, but it’s even better if you let the barley porridge stand in a closed oven for at least half an hour.
How long does it take to cook barley porridge with milk in a slow cooker?
Barley porridge with milk is perfect for breakfast for both adults and children, because one serving contains up to 40% of the daily requirement of vitamins. A slow cooker will allow you to prepare this dish quickly and effortlessly. Porridge is usually prepared with milk, sweet or with the addition of fruit.
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 10 minutes.
Portions: 3.
Ingredients:
- Barley groats – 150 gr.
- Milk – 300 ml.
- Water – 150 ml.
- Butter - to taste.
- Salt - to taste.
- Sugar - to taste.
Cooking process:
1. First of all, prepare all the products in the quantities specified in the recipe.
2. Pour the cereal into a separate bowl and rinse well with cold water several times, because the friability of the finished porridge depends on this.
3. Transfer the prepared cell into the multi-bowl and distribute it in an even layer.
4. Add salt and sugar to the cereal to your taste.
5. Then pour 150 ml of hot water and 300 ml of milk. Close the lid of the device and turn on the “Porridge” program for the default time. Do not open the lid during cooking.
6. After the signal about the end of the program, add a piece of butter to the porridge and leave it for another 5-10 minutes to infuse.
7. Then mix the porridge with a spatula, take a sample and adjust it to your taste. Place the finished porridge on portioned plates and serve, adding other ingredients to your liking.
Bon appetit!
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Cooking barley porridge with water in the oven
For crumbly porridge in the oven, we take the same products in the same ratios (that is, 2.5 tbsp of water per 1 tbsp of cereal). Place the cereal with water and salt in a mold (you can take a deep pan, but a clay pot is better, you can use several), cover with foil and put in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 1 hour. You can pre-boil the cereal for about 7 minutes, and keep it in the oven for a little less time.
The most important thing is that if the proportions are strictly followed, anyone can cook crumbly barley in water!
Boiled egg in water is an excellent side dish for a lunch (add only vegetables and some meat). You can add a banana, sakhzam and a spoonful of cottage cheese to the egg - a good, hearty, proper breakfast is ready.
Microwave with milk
It takes quite a long time to cook barley on the stove, but you can use the microwave for faster cooking. It is advisable to use a device in which the power can be adjusted.
Ingredients:
- cell – 1/2 cup;
- milk – 1/2 cup;
- hot water – 250 ml;
- butter – 2 tbsp. l;
- salt, sugar - to taste.
Preparation
1. Pour barley into a suitable bowl and fill it with water, after which salt is added. The grains are not washed.
2. Place the container in the microwave until it boils at maximum power. This takes up to 10 minutes.
3. After boiling, add sugar and milk and reduce the power. The dish cooks for another 10 minutes.
4. The prepared porridge can be seasoned with butter, and boiled milk will dilute the too thick consistency.
Box with vegetables on the stove
This is tastier than a regular side dish, but with almost the same calorie content. For vegetarians, you don’t need to add anything else, but for those who don’t fast, a piece of baked chicken fillet won’t hurt.
Nutritional value per 100 g:
- Calories: 130
- Proteins: 3,6
- Fats 2,2
- Carbohydrates: 24,1
Ingredients:
- one large carrot
- one onion
- 1 ripe tomato
- 1 bell pepper
- cell - 2 cups
- vegetable oil - 1 tbsp.
- salt - 1 tsp.
- water - 4 glasses
Step-by-step preparation:
- To prepare barley porridge with vegetables, simmer diced onion, coarsely grated carrots and bell pepper in vegetable oil, adding chopped tomato at the very end.
- And then add the cereal with water. Please note that this recipe requires less water than usual. Change in proportions due to juicy vegetables. We wait for the water to boil, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for about 40 minutes.
Recipes
There are many ways to prepare barley porridge. Healthy cereals are served as an independent dish, along with vegetables, or as a side dish for fish or meat. Let's look at the most popular recipes.
Crumbly garnish
To achieve a crumbly consistency, use the toasting technique. The advantage of this method is that the dish retains its rich color, creamy taste, and pronounced aroma.
Required ingredients:
- barley - 1 cup;
- water – 2 glasses;
- salt – ½ tsp;
- butter – 30 g.
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Pour the cereal into a frying pan and place over medium heat. Stir the contents of the container constantly. The egg should become a little ruddy.
- Pour water into a saucepan, add salt, bring to a boil.
- Place the browned cereal into the boiling liquid and add butter.
- After the water boils again, reduce the heat to low. Cook the porridge until the liquid has completely evaporated (within 20–25 minutes). Stir it occasionally with a spoon.
- When the egg is ready, remove the pan from the heat and cover with a lid. Let the product sit for 20 minutes.
Barley porridge with meat
Barley porridge with meat is a hearty dish for dinner. The secret to successful cooking is simple: add spices to the egg. Nutmeg goes perfectly with the creamy taste of porridge. Oregano, thyme and rosemary go well with meat. The dish will also be complemented with turmeric and marjoram.
Main ingredients:
- barley - 1 cup;
- meat – 400 g;
- butter – 50 g;
- water – 400 ml;
- salt – ½ tsp;
- onion – 1 pc.;
- zucchini – 1 pc.;
- carrots – 1 pc.;
- dill - 1 bunch.
Zucchini can be replaced with tomatoes, pumpkin, eggplant, peppers or squash.
Cooking method:
- Grind the carrots and cut the onion into rings. Fry the vegetables.
- Cut the meat into cubes and add to the vegetables. Simmer the ingredients for 15 minutes in a frying pan with the lid closed.
- Pour everything into a saucepan, add cereal, salt and spices.
- Cut the zucchini into cubes and add to the container.
- Simmer everything for 30 minutes.
- At the end, add chopped dill and spread butter on the surface.
- Cover the pan with a lid and place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
Barley porridge with vegetables and meat should be prepared with the addition of spices.
Sweet lean barley porridge with nuts and honey
Another option for healthy water yachka is with honey and walnuts. The recipe is suitable not only for dieters; vegetarians and fasting people will also appreciate it. Moreover, this delicious sweet egg is suitable even for strict fasting - there is no milk or butter there.
KBJU per 100 g: 202/4.5/6.5/31
Products:
- barley grits - 1 tbsp.
- water - 2.5 tbsp.
- honey - 2 tbsp.
- shelled walnuts - a couple of handfuls
- salt - 1/2 tsp.
How to cook:
- It all starts as usual - cook the washed, pan-dried cereal in salted water for 30-40 minutes.
- 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the walnuts. You can simply chop the kernels coarsely, but it will be tastier to first fry them, peel the husks from them, and only then chop and throw them.
- When the porridge has cooled a little, stir in honey and serve immediately. Poppy seeds and raisins will also not interfere with this recipe - you can also throw them in 5 minutes before the end of cooking.
Useful tips
The following recommendations will help you prepare healthy and tasty barley porridge:
- Sort the grains before cooking. After packaging, pebbles, pulp and other small debris may remain in the box. It should also be washed thoroughly under running water. For convenience, use a sieve.
- Choose a container of the appropriate size. During cooking, the contents of the pan increase 5 times.
- Place the grains in boiling water. When it returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low.
- Maintain the proportions of barley and water. For a crumbly side dish, a ratio of 1:2.5 is required. For a viscous consistency suitable for children's diets, you need up to 4 glasses of liquid.
- Cooking time depends on what the egg is cooked on. On the water - from 15 to 25 minutes, until the liquid in the pan boils away. With milk – from 20 to 25 minutes.
- The most delicious barley porridge is made in a cast iron cauldron.
- Don't skimp on butter. Add it to the finished dish before serving. Vegetable oils are suitable for dietary nutrition: pumpkin, sunflower, olive, walnut. For one serving there is 1 tbsp. l.
Every housewife should know how to properly cook barley porridge with milk and water. This healthy side dish goes well with many dishes. If you want to diversify the product, add mushrooms, stewed meat, meat. Children will love the sweet porridge. Use apples, honey, pumpkin, fresh berries or dried fruits as auxiliary ingredients.
Meat egg on water in a pot
What could be better than barley porridge with meat in a pot! It’s a great solution for lunch! There is no need to invent anything additional, the kbju is already balanced.
KBJU per 100 g: 91.1/8.7/1.7/10.3
Products:
- 1 cup barley
- 2.5 tbsp. hot water
- carrots, onion
- 500 g veal
- 1 tbsp. refined vegetable oil
- salt, ground black pepper to taste
How to cook:
- First you need to simmer the veal with onions and carrots in vegetable oil (over medium heat, about 25 minutes).
- Place the roast in a hot pot (you can pour boiling water over it), the cereal on top and fill everything with water (make sure that the water does not reach the edges of the pot).
- Stir, put in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 40-50 minutes (you need to stir the porridge from time to time, you can add water if necessary).
Vitamins
Vitamins | Quantity | Norm |
Vitamin B1 | 0.09 mg | 1.5 mg |
Vitamin B2 | 0.027 mg | 1.8 mg |
Vitamin B4 | 12.6 mg | 500 mg |
Vitamin B5 | 0.048 mg | 5 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.18 mg | 2 mg |
Vitamin B9 | 10.667 mcg | 400 mcg |
Vitamin E | 0.5 mg | 15 mg |
Vitamin K | 0.7 mcg | 120 mcg |
Vitamin PP | 1.5667 mg | 20 mg |
Niacin | 0.9 mg | ~ |
How to choose quality cereals
When choosing barley groats in a store, first of all, pay attention to the packaging: it is better to take it in a cardboard package or in regular plastic packaging, but not the one that comes in bulk - you don’t know exactly how it was stored before packaging in the store. Choose cereals that have the freshest possible shelf life. If you purchased cereal by weight, bake it in the oven, and then pour it into a glass container with an airtight lid. This will prevent bacteria and mold from growing in it.
Features of choosing ingredients
When purchasing barley, you should give preference to products packaged in sealed bags. This will protect the contents from moisture. Carefully study the information on the packaging: date of packaging, expiration date.
The translucent bag allows you to visually evaluate the cereal. A suitable product will have a uniform light color. Lumps and dark spots inside the package indicate that the product was stored incorrectly. If you have the opportunity to smell the cereal, you need to take advantage of it. A high-quality product does not have any strong odors. When you smell something rotten, it is better to give preference to another product.
At home, barley (like pearl barley) can be stored for quite a long time if done correctly. Place it in an airtight container or bag and store it in a dark, dry place away from moisture and pests.
All the secrets of experienced housewives
- It is very important to maintain the proportions of water and cereal so that our egg turns out crumbly. If you want the cereal to be more viscous, add 3 tablespoons of water per 1 cup of cereal.
- Fruits, berries, nuts, honey will help enhance the taste and benefits of barley porridge. In addition, such additives are an excellent substitute for sugar.
- But don’t get carried away with barley porridge. It is quite high in calories, so we recommend consuming it in the first half of the day.
Irina Polyanitsa My name is Irina, I am the owner and admin of the site, as well as the author of most of the recipes and articles. I love to cook simple and healthy delicacies. Certified gym instructor, personal trainer. She completed a course on nutrition and health at Stanford University, Stanford Introduction to Food and Health, as well as a course at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy (about nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy).
Proportions of cereal and liquid
To obtain tasty porridge, it is always important to choose the right proportions of cereal and liquid.
- Barley porridge will be crumbly if you take 2-2.5 cups of liquid per glass of cereal. Whether it is water, broth or milk diluted with water does not significantly affect this ratio.
- To obtain viscous porridge, use a proportion of 1: 3 when cooking porridge in water or 1: 4 when cooking a mixture of milk and water. Barley porridge is usually not cooked with milk alone.
- If you take 4 glasses of water or 5-6 glasses of milk diluted with water per glass of barley, the porridge will come out liquid.
- When cooking barley porridge in a slow cooker, use the same ratio of cereal and water as when cooking it in a saucepan.
A glass with a capacity of 0.2 liters contains 145 g of barley, a glass with a capacity of 0.25 liters contains 180 g.
Important! Barley contains a small amount of fat, but a lot of vegetable protein and slow carbohydrates. This makes it possible for people suffering from diabetes and overweight to use it.
The high content of B vitamins in barley, including vitamin B6, makes it useful for maintaining the beauty of skin and hair, strengthening the nervous system, and normalizing metabolic processes in the body.
Barley contains a significant amount of potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamins A and PP, which makes dishes made from it useful for strengthening the heart and blood vessels, and preventing iron deficiency anemia.
Eating barley porridge helps normalize stool and restore intestinal motility, which makes it especially necessary in old age.
Due to the high gluten content, barley porridge is not recommended to be given in large quantities to small children and people suffering from gluten intolerance.
The calorie content of 100 g of barley porridge cooked in water is only 76 kcal, cooked in milk without sugar - 111 kcal, sweet porridge with butter can have an energy value of around 150-220 kcal.
Chemical composition and nutritional value of barley
Barley is rich in proteins, vitamins and microelements, which bring great benefits to the body. It has high nutritional value and long-lasting saturation properties, giving energy to the body for up to 4 hours. Contains a record amount of fiber – 1.4%.
The benefit of barley is that while it is high in calories, it contains a small amount of fat, that is, it consists mainly of proteins and carbohydrates.
The benefits and harms of barley are determined by its chemical composition.
Nutritional value (comparison with other cereals):
- proteins - 10.4% (average);
- fats – 1.3% (little);
- carbohydrates – 71.7% (average);
- calorie content – 322 (small);
- starch – 65.2% (average);
- sugar – 1.5% (low value).
- B1 – 0.27;
- B2 – 0.08 – the largest amount;
- B6 – 0.54;
- PP – 2.7 – higher only in buckwheat.
- potassium – 160;
- calcium – 42;
- magnesium – 96;
- phosphorus – 343;
- iron – 1.81;
- manganese – 760 mcg;
- copper – 370 mcg;
- zinc – 1.09 mcg.
The use of barley in folk medicine
Barley has useful medicinal and preventive properties and is used in folk medicine in many countries.
Used for treatment
Barley decoction has a consistency similar to jelly. It is used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract as an enveloping agent. Protects mucous membranes from irritation. Relieves irritation and inflammation of the stomach and duodenum.
A useful infusion is used internally for diseases of the liver, stomach, urinary tract, as well as cough and pulmonary diseases. It helps relieve inflammation. Has choleretic properties.
Skin diseases are treated externally with lotions and baths with barley infusion. Such procedures are also beneficial for allergies and bites.
Decoction recipe
- Pour 20–30 grams of barley grain into 200 ml of cold water.
- Leave for 4 hours, bring to a boil, cool and strain.
- Use 2 tablespoons before meals.
The product is useful for diseases of the biliary tract and vitamin deficiency.
Infusion bath
For baths, it is customary to use malt, that is, soaked and germinated barley grains. The amount per bath depends on age:
- for a child – 0.3 kg;
- for an adult – 2.3 kg per bath.
- The malt is poured with boiling water and left for 4 hours.
- Strain and pour into the bath.
- Immerse in water for 15 minutes.
Barley baths soothe inflamed skin, moisturize and saturate with nutrients. Useful for acne and psoriasis. Malt, like barley, has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.
Barley compress
- Pour boiling water over the barley and stir until it becomes a thick paste.
- Wrap in gauze, towel or natural fabric.
- Apply warm or cold to the sore spot.
A warm compress helps relieve muscle tension and spasms. Cooled to room temperature, it draws pus from wounds and also soothes irritations, bites, and allergic rashes thanks to its mild antihistamine properties. Barley compress is beneficial in treating acne.
Is it possible for pregnant and lactating women to eat barley porridge?
Barley porridge for pregnant women is useful for a large range of vitamins, dietary fiber, as well as a delicate texture.
Barley groats are an undoubted benefit for the body of a woman carrying or nursing a child.
- B vitamins improve mood and have antidepressant properties.
- Healthy dietary fiber improves intestinal motility and normalizes stool.
- The creamy texture of food protects the walls of the stomach and gives a feeling of comfort after eating.
But you shouldn’t get carried away with healthy porridge either. If you are prone to constipation, barley cooked in milk can do more harm than good. To prepare it, it is better to use broth or clean water. Before consuming barley products, you should drink a glass of boiled water so as not to harm the digestive system.