Barley Porridge kissed with Nutmeg Spice

 

My grandma often talks about Barley and the many ways her mother prepared it. She would add it to soups, or season it with fresh herbs or prepared it for babies. She would rave about how healthy the babies appeared to be, after regular consumption of barley. The only connection I have made with barley, until now, was with Horlicks. I just know that I have seen the word barley, listed as an ingredient on that bottle. I have been reading the ingredients on labels for a very long time, just out of curiosity. Now I read them in order to make a conscious health decision.  Horlicks is a drink I consumed as a child. It is sweet and tasty, hot or cold. Even to this day, when I think barley, I think Horlicks.

I have picked up barley several times from the supermarket, however I never got around to cooking it. Since I am gravitating towards a healthier me, I finally decided to give it a try. No more taking up space in the pantry. I am really going to use it. What do most Jamaicans do with grains? We make porridge. And that is exactly what I did. I really wanted to make a multigrain blend, which I sometimes do with my porridge, but I wanted to taste the authenticity of the barley.

It did take a little while to cook. Well for my desired texture and consistency, I cooked it for about 45 minutes. It absorbs liquid quickly, so I had to add more liquid/ water periodically. I love the texture. Like oatmeal, bulgur, and rice it requires chewing. I flavored it just like I would with any other porridge and added my spices. I was d’luscious! With all these tasty, nutritious grains that I have been experimenting with and incorporating into my diet, white rice will definitely be taking a back seat in this house/kitchen. The more I cook with these authentic grains, the more exited I become. Move over white rice!

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )
Join over 3.000 visitors who are receiving our newsletter and receive my FREE ebook with recipes for a healthier you.
We hate spam. Your email address will not be sold or shared with anyone else.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *