Barley is known to be one of the oldest grains and it is also extremely versatile. It had been cultivated as a cereal grain in the earlier years by nomadic tribes before it begun to be included in making of beer. Barley is a great source of fiber and has several vitamins, complex carbohydrates as well as proteins. It has an unique flavor which can be used in stews, soups, curries, desserts, salads as well as casseroles. It is also known to have no cholesterol and is also low in fat. In order for you to know how to cook barley you first have to know a few of its basics. Barley has different classifications with the most common one being pearl barley which as the outer hull removed.
Pearl barley is classified into two namely the regular one and the easy to cook one. Pearl barley can be used in making hot cereals in a similar way as making oatmeal. Baked goods can also use pearl barley. Parley barley can be prepared using different recipes an example being the soothing barley and chicken soup recipe and after using this you will never ask how do you cook pearl barley again. This recipe requires you to have a couple of ingredients.
Ingredients such as 4 large chicken thighs, 6 cups chicken stock, ? cup pearl washed barley, 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms, 4 medium peeled and diced carrots, 2 cloves freshly minced garlic, 1 medium peeled and diced onion, 1 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley leaves, 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, ? tablespoon thyme, ? tablespoon oregano, ? tablespoon basil, canned tomatoes with the juice as well as salt and pepper to taste. After assembling all these ingredients you can now start with preparation of this dish where you will start with pouring 1 tablespoon olive oil on a big pot and place it on medium heat.
The chicken thighs should then be added to the olive oil when their skin is facing down until they are golden brown. 2 cups of the stock should then be added and the heat reduced to medium low. After this, the pot should be covered and let the chicken cook for approx 40 minutes. After the tome has lapsed you are supposed to remove the chicken and set it aside for cooling where you are supposed to refrigerate it. Use the remaining stock and pour it on the pot with 4 medium sized peeled and diced carrots, 1 peeled and diced onion, 1 can of tomatoes with its juice, ? cup pearl barley, ? a teaspoon each of basil, thyme and oregano, 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms as well as 2 cloves of freshly minced garlic.
This mixture should then be covered and cooked on low heat for about 1 ? hours until the barley and vegetables are cooked properly. You should then take the chicken out of the fridge and remove its skin while discarding the bones. Chop the meat and add it to the cooking soup and this should be during the last hour of the process. You can then add the salt and pepper to the soup as per taste. You should always check for the consistency of the soup in order to control its thickness where you can add water if you feel it is too thick. The finely chopped parsley can now be used to garnish and your dish will be ready.
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This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are how do you cook pearl barley and how to cook barley . Do consider reading them.
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