Barley is not as popular as, for example, buckwheat, rice, peas. But from this it does not become less useful. This cereal contains fiber, vitamins and minerals. Due to its high calorie content and nutritional value, most nutritionists recommend the use of barley dishes in baby food and in the nutrition of athletes. In addition, pearl barley is recommended to eat and the elderly, and as often as possible. Despite the high calorie content of the dry product, barley dishes are considered dietary.
Mushroom risotto
It is necessary:
- one and a half liters of chicken stock;
- a spoonful of butter;
- bulb;
- two hundred grams of pearl barley;
- a spoonful of thyme;
- Bay leaf;
- olive oil;
- five hundred grams of mushrooms;
- garlic;
- greens;
- seasonings.
Keep the chicken stock on the stove hot, but make sure it does not boil. Melt the butter, chop the onions as small as possible and put in the butter. Fry for about five minutes. Then put pearl barley, bay leaf, thyme to the onion. Pour the cereal with herbs with two glasses of broth. Wait for it to boil and cook for ten minutes. Stew until the whole broth boils, gradually adding a new portion each time. Stew the mushrooms in olive oil, add the garlic at the end and cook for another three minutes. Transfer mushrooms to pearl barley, add seasonings. Remove bay leaf before serving. Put the risotto on a plate and sprinkle it with grated cheese.
Such dishes from barley can be made vegetarian, you just need to use olive oil and replace chicken stock with vegetable. Who loves greens, you can add basil, cilantro, parsley, dill to the finished dish.
Barley Pilaf
It is necessary:
- a glass of pearl barley;
- three glasses of water;
- three hundred grams of champignons;
- eight bulbs;
- five hundred grams of carrots;
- two hundred grams of vegetable oil;
- one hot pepper;
- garlic;
- salt;
- spice;
- tomatoes - three pieces;
- Bulgarian pepper - three pieces;
- smoked pork ribs and brisket - five hundred grams.
Sort the barley and rinse. Put on a towel and dry. Peel onions and carrots, peel and rinse the garlic as well. Wash the mushrooms and cut into plates. Chill hot pepper finely. Fry the barley in a dry frying pan for several minutes.
Pour oil into the container for cooking pilaf. Cut the onion rings or half rings, cut the carrots into strips. Dip the vegetables and mushrooms in the pan. Fifteen minutes later, put finely chopped bell pepper and tomato there. Divide the pork ribs and brisket into small portions and add to the vegetables. Add water and wait until it boils. Transfer pearl barley from a dry pan to vegetables.
Add the garlic and simmer under the lid until cooked, namely about half an hour. Turn off the finished pilaf and wrap it in several blankets. For fidelity, you can cover with pillows. Leave it wrapped for another forty minutes. Then mix, and you can call everyone to the table. By the way, barley dishes (for example, pilaf) can be sprinkled with herbs.
Barley Salad
It is necessary:
- one fourth of a glass of barley;
- one hundred grams of boiled beef;
- one cucumber;
- one carrot;
- garlic;
- dressing mayonnaise;
- salt;
- lettuce leaves.
Rinse pearl barley, pour a glass of water and add salt. Cook for forty minutes. Cool, drain the water. Finely chop the beef and cucumber. Put lettuce leaves on a plate, lay cucumbers and meat on top. Lubricate with mayonnaise. Lay the barley on top. Grate carrots and mix with garlic and mayonnaise. Put on the barley and decorate with greens.
Dishes from this healthy cereal can be invented a lot. But for some reason nowadays it is rarely used not only at home, but also in cafes and restaurants. However, on the basis of this cereal, medicinal dishes are prepared in sanatoria and hospitals, for example, barley porridge is very common. It treats diseases of the digestive system and helps with obesity.