# Pearl Barley



## KarlW (Feb 24, 2005)

Can you cook it in a rice cooker? Anyone know how much water to use?


----------



## GoalGetter (Feb 25, 2005)

KarlW said:
			
		

> Can you cook it in a rice cooker? Anyone know how much water to use?


 Yep! And it is awesome.

 If you're using a rice cooker just fill up the pot with water up to the line for the number of cups of barley you are using. So if you are going to use two cups of uncooked barley, then fill up the pot to the #2 line, and then dump the two cups of barley into that, add whatever you add to it (spices? some oil? seasonings? nothing?) and  cover it up and cook it.

 I usually add cinnamon or cayenne pepper to mine before setting it to cook.


----------



## Robin Hood (Feb 25, 2005)

Funny you should ask. I've been exploring alternate carb options and I was going to try pearl barley and lentils. I believe they are lower on the GI than rice, oats and yams.


----------



## P-funk (Feb 25, 2005)

Robin Hood said:
			
		

> Funny you should ask. I've been exploring alternate carb options and I was going to try pearl barley and lentils. I believe they are lower on the GI than rice, oats and yams.




quinoa is too.  good stuff,


----------



## Katia7 (Feb 25, 2005)

P-funk said:
			
		

> quinoa is too.  good stuff,


Good stuff! and I was told it's a complete protein


----------



## Emma-Leigh (Feb 25, 2005)

I just cook my pearl barley on the stove. I soak it overnight and then put it in a pot with boiling water for ~30-40 minutes until tender.

If you want to get fancy add some lemon juice, garlic cloves, black pepper and mixed herbs as well... Really yummy! 



			
				P-funk said:
			
		

> quinoa is too.  good stuff,


Yup. Some other good options are also buckwheat, rye kernels and chana Dhal.


----------



## BulkMeUp (Feb 25, 2005)

Is unflavoured cooked pearl barley tastless like white rice or does it have a strong flavour?


----------



## P-funk (Feb 25, 2005)

tastes more like oats to me.


----------



## KarlW (Feb 25, 2005)

I'll let yas all know how it goes. I also got some rolled Barley and rolled Triticale. We'll see how they go.


----------



## KarlW (Feb 27, 2005)

GoalGetter said:
			
		

> Yep! And it is awesome.
> 
> If you're using a rice cooker just fill up the pot with water up to the line for the number of cups of barley you are using. So if you are going to use two cups of uncooked barley, then fill up the pot to the #2 line, and then dump the two cups of barley into that, add whatever you add to it (spices? some oil? seasonings? nothing?) and cover it up and cook it.
> 
> I usually add cinnamon or cayenne pepper to mine before setting it to cook.


I cooked it this way and it turned out great. It's actually very nice. thanks


----------



## Robin Hood (Feb 28, 2005)

I tried the lentils on Sunday. I added Cayenne pepper at the end....really tasty. Nice change from brown rice.


----------



## LAM (Feb 28, 2005)

red lentils kick ass !


----------



## Emma-Leigh (Feb 28, 2005)

LAM said:
			
		

> red lentils kick ass !


Bump on this! They are an excellent source of fibre, low GI carbs, iron, folate and protein.... and lets not forget to mention that they are, most importantly, damn tasty!!


----------



## BulkMeUp (Mar 1, 2005)

Emma-Leigh said:
			
		

> Bump on this! They are an excellent source of fibre, low GI carbs, iron, folate and protein.... and lets not forget to mention that they are, most importantly, damn tasty!!


Yum Yum.. they ARE good. Add some sauteed onion +garlic and/or ginger + spices + some tomato and you have one VERY tasty wholesome meal.


----------



## Robin Hood (Mar 1, 2005)

I cooked red lentils for the first time this past weekend. They turned out yummy as I added cayenne pepper. I boiled them on the stove and they formed a soupy kind of mixture that thickened up when it cooled. How are you guys (gals) preparing them?


----------



## LAM (Mar 1, 2005)

pretty much the same, I just add in a dash of sea salt.


----------



## KarlW (Mar 2, 2005)

Ya so anyway I found rolled barley (eaten raw with skim milk) to have a very interesting texture. Kinda gritty or crunchy. Actually I like it. I noticed also that it is much lower in fat than rolled oats, does that make sense?


----------



## Emma-Leigh (Mar 2, 2005)

KarlW said:
			
		

> Ya so anyway I found rolled barley (eaten raw with skim milk) to have a very interesting texture. Kinda gritty or crunchy. Actually I like it. I noticed also that it is much lower in fat than rolled oats, does that make sense?


I like rolled barley too. Actually, it goes really well in a mix with rolled oats and rolled rye (I have a really good recipe for a yummy natural bircher museli if anyone is interest). 

And yes, barley is a lower fat grain than oats: 
0.5 cups (40g) has 149 cals, 32.5g carbs, 3.2g protein, 0.7g fats.


----------



## Robin Hood (Mar 2, 2005)

Emma-Leigh said:
			
		

> I like rolled barley too. Actually, it goes really well in a mix with rolled oats and rolled rye (I have a really good recipe for a yummy natural bircher museli if anyone is interest).


 
I think you need to post that recipe


----------



## BulkMeUp (Mar 2, 2005)

Robin Hood said:
			
		

> I cooked red lentils for the first time this past weekend. They turned out yummy as I added cayenne pepper. I boiled them on the stove and they formed a soupy kind of mixture that thickened up when it cooled. How are you guys (gals) preparing them?


Always boil the lentils in plain water. Preferably do your seasonings seperately and add them in at the end. Boiling them with some tomatos, for e.g., makes them a take a longer time to get fully cooked and sometimes kinda prevents them from getting fuly cooked.


----------



## Robin Hood (Mar 2, 2005)

BulkMeUp said:
			
		

> Always boil the lentils in plain water. Preferably do your seasonings seperately and add them in at the end. Boiling them with some tomatos, for e.g., makes them a take a longer time to get fully cooked and sometimes kinda prevents them from getting fuly cooked.


Thanks. This is what I did anyway. I waited til the end and then added the cayenne pepper. 

Also, I read to reduce gas/bloating caused by legumes, it is best to soak the lentils over night and then drain the soaking water and proceed with the cooking. This is what I did.


----------



## Mudge (Mar 2, 2005)

I would venture that soaking modifies the GI index though, the softer it is the faster it will be digested and enter into the bloodstream.

Aldenti spagheti scores a meager 38 on the index, very respectable. Cook it longer and it goes up.


----------



## Emma-Leigh (Mar 2, 2005)

Robin Hood said:
			
		

> Also, I read to reduce gas/bloating caused by legumes, it is best to soak the lentils over night and then drain the soaking water and proceed with the cooking. This is what I did.


You should soak them overnight and then rinse them, add fresh water, bring to the boil and them simmer till cooked.

This will remove some of the causes of bloat and will also make them a lot easier to cook (and, although overcooking things can effect the GI, soaking the beans in this manner does not effect the GI of the beans).


----------

