Why doesn't pearl barley swell in water?
Reading time - 3 minutes.
There may be several reasons why barley remains tough even after a long boil:
- There is little water when soaking - the barley absorbs all the water, but it needs more to soften. Correct proportions - for half a glass of pearl barley 2 glasses of water, the wrong ones - for the same amount, only 1 glass of water.
- Soaking the barley in a cramped dish - then when it swells, the barley simply shrinks in the cramped walls, for soaking the barley needs space. The right dish is a wide and deep plate, a casserole with round sides. Incorrect dishes - mug, plate under the yoke of another plate, etc.
- Lack of soaking - barley must be soaked, with the exception of boiling bag cereals.
- Old groats or low-grade groats. The size of the cereal will accurately show the cookability - the small one was processed more, which means it is more likely to become soft. If in doubt, just buy pearl barley in cooking bags, this will surely melt.
Last update Author / Editor - Lydia Ivanova
How much to cook / Tips / Why doesn't pearl barley swell in water?