Pearl barley porridge in a multicooker
Pearl barley porridge is a unfairly forgotten traditional Russian dish. It is very beneficial for a strong immune system, and it has a great taste if cooked properly. Pearl barley is a perfect side dish for any meat, and with berries and fruits it makes a delicious breakfast. I especially like it with bananas and blueberries, and I often cook porridge with this combination and almond milk. However, it tastes delicious with any other milk as well. You can also dilute the milk with water if you are concerned about calories. The porridge will still remain tasty. The cooking time of pearl barley in a multicooker depends on how long you soak the grains. I always try to soak them overnight, then the porridge cooks quickly. In any case, time is not the most important factor here, because we cook in a multicooker and don't need to monitor the porridge.
Information
Ingredients
- Pearl barley100 g
- Water400 ml
- Milk200 ml
- Butter20 g
- Sugar1 tablespoon
- Salton taste
- Banana1 piece
- Blueberry50 g
Directions
Prepare all the necessary ingredients for the pearl barley in the multicooker. I really love the recipe for this porridge with almond milk, banana, and blueberries when I make it for breakfast. But, in fact, in this recipe, you can change many ingredients. Instead of almond milk, you can use any other: coconut, oat, or just regular cow's milk. To reduce the calorie content of the dish, take less milk and more water. In this recipe, the optimal ratio of water to milk is 2 to 1. In such proportions, the porridge turns out neither liquid nor watery, but with much fewer calories. You can use a variety of fruits and berries for serving, depending on your taste. If you are cooking pearl barley as a side dish, they will not be needed.
Rinse the groats in at least 3 waters, crushing it between your fingers each time. This step cannot be ignored. The quality and taste of the cooked porridge depend on it. Soak the groats, preferably overnight, but if time is limited, one hour will be enough. It should be taken into account that the cooking time of pearl barley always directly depends on how long you soaked it. If it was soaked for only 1 hour, then base the cooking time in the multicooker on approximately 2-2.5 hours. If you soaked it overnight, then 1 hour may be enough for cooking.
Drain the groats on a sieve (a colander will not work here, as the grains are quite small and can pass through it), transfer it to the bowl of the multicooker, and add salt and sugar to taste. If you are preparing a side dish for meat, you probably won't need sugar. And if the pearl barley porridge is for breakfast, I recommend adding a little sugar and lightly salt it.
Create a butter barrier on the sides of the multicooker bowl. Thanks to it, the milk will not escape, it will slide on the butter and sink down. For this purpose, it is best to take a piece of unsalted butter and run it along the edges of the multicooker bowl several times.
Next, pour water and milk into the multicooker bowl, turn on the Porridge or Cooking mode, and set the cooking time to 2 hours. However, keep in mind that the porridge may be ready earlier (depending on how long you soaked it). Therefore, I suggest checking the readiness after 1 hour by tasting the porridge. After the cooking time is over, turn on the keep warm function and let the pearl barley simmer in the multicooker for another 20-30 minutes.
Slice a banana into rounds, wash the blueberries well, and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place the cooked porridge in a plate and decorate it with banana slices and blueberries, or other fruits and berries of your choice. The pearl barley in the multicooker is ready! Enjoy your meal!
