Barley coffee: properties and preparation methods
Coffee is one of the most loved drinks on earth. It is appreciated in different countries by people of all ages and occupations. But sometimes you have to look for a replacement for him for health reasons, or you just want to try some unusual option.
Peculiarities
Barley coffee is prepared using ground seeds after roasting. In European countries, such a drink is a strong competitor to regular coffee. One of the reasons for such a choice among a large number of people is a significant difference in price.
But although buying “real” coffee has not been a problem for a long time, and interruptions in the supply from distant countries are a thing of the past, there is also a medical aspect of the problem. Barley drink is quite healthy.
Benefit and harm
Experts have been recommending barley-based coffee drink since pre-war times. Even then, it was found that it contributes to accelerated recovery after stress and a significant load. But the positive properties are not limited to just a stimulating effect during fatigue.
There is also a good therapeutic effect with:
- stomach ulcer;
- dysbacteriosis;
- weak tone of the digestive system;
- high risk of diabetes or predisposition to it;
- overweight;
- unstable function of the cardiovascular system.
The attractive characteristics of the barley and rye product are due to its chemical composition. In laboratory analysis, the presence of a significant amount of fiber was found, which weakens the absorption of carbohydrates. Namely, carbohydrates are “responsible” for unjustified kilograms.Stabilization of blood pressure would be unthinkable without vitamins D and E. It is noted that the use of barley coffee reduces the risk of various inflammations and improves the medical prognosis, if they do occur.
This effect fully applies to colds and other infectious lesions of the respiratory organs. Silicon and lysine found in barley grains are precursors to collagen, which helps improve skin elasticity. Lysine is also one of the most important components in the development of muscle tissue. Since barley does not contain even meager doses of caffeine, it does not disturb sleep patterns. So far, the researchers have not found a potential danger from barley coffee, but they still advise taking it into account when calculating the energy value of the diet.
The benefits of barley coffee for the endocrine system have been noted, it makes the hormonal background more even. The composition of the drink contains very useful trace elements, such as phosphorus, magnesium, iodine, potassium and a number of other components. As a result of a number of studies, it was found that it has a positive effect on hematopoietic function and water-salt balance. Doctors recommend drinking a barley drink to reduce the severity of rheumatic and joint pain. It has a good effect on the condition of the hair, makes up for the lack of proteins.
The proportion of protein is approximately 15%. Thanks to beta-glucans, the body is quickly freed from toxic substances. In ancient times, barley-based food gave strength to gladiators. Later it was widely used in various troops. The use of barley coffee is also the maintenance of glorious traditions.
How to cook?
Barley coffee should be prepared from whole dry beans. They are carefully selected so that only the highest quality parts remain.
Then proceed as follows:
- pour barley into a frying pan (do not use oil) and fry;
- roasted grains are ground with a hand tool;
- brown powder is poured into a Turk (at the rate of 30 g of the mixture per 150 g of liquid);
- boil coffee for 120 seconds;
- insist another 120 seconds, preferably under the lid.
Judging by the reviews, it is better to use barley coffee with chicory, which is added at 15 g per serving. Instead of water, milk can be added during cooking. This helps soften the taste.
Some people also use supplements in combination with barley coffee such as:
- honey;
- cream;
- sugar.
The simplest scheme involves crushing roasted seeds in a coffee grinder. After that, 30-60 g of ground barley is placed in a cup and infused for several minutes. Considered a classic recipe, it calls for about 200 g of water and 45 g of grains.
Barley is washed and dried (for greater speed spread on a paper napkin). Then the pan is heated and dry grains are poured out (oils are not needed in principle!).
Roasting is done over medium heat until the grains darken. In this case, a specific aroma should appear. After cooling the fried mass, scroll it in a coffee grinder and cook in a Turk until boiling. As soon as the coffee drink boils, it is removed from the heat and kept covered for 3-5 minutes. Everything, you can pour into cups and taste the fragrant liquid!
Quite simple and the option using milk. For 100 g of water take 200 g of milk and 60-75 g of barley. In the same way, the grains are washed and dried, roasted and ground. In a saucepan, a mixture of milk and water is boiled, and after adding barley powder, boil for 120-180 seconds. At the discretion of consumers, honey, cream or even ice cream are added to the drink.
There are no strict requirements for roasting barley grains.It is worth trying to process them stronger or weaker to vary the taste. Usually 3-5 samples are enough to select the optimal processing option. Fans of experiments should also try the so-called blend. For him, ½ of the mass is fried relatively weakly, and the other part is more intensively.
You can buy store-bought barley coffee quite calmly, it is no worse than home-made coffee. Concerns about "artificial additives" are unfounded. The taste of barley coffee is much milder than that of the traditional counterpart. The aroma of the drink inspires thoughts of fresh bread. The foam is invariably dense and rises high, this must be remembered when cooking.
You can improve the quality of the product by introducing a small addition of chicory. It will bring barley liquid closer to natural coffee. But this is not for everyone, because the beauty of barley lies in the fact that it practically does not taste bitter. The addition of milk allows you to imagine that a cappuccino is poured into a cup. When you want to try something really original, a recipe made from a mixture of barley and rye will do.
To prepare a drink, 45 g of these cereals are required. They are washed thoroughly under running water, preferably even repeatedly. Grains are poured with water, you can insist them for about a day. If desired, an increase in this period is allowed, you do not need to start a timer. When the scheduled time has passed, the liquid is drained and a new portion of water passed through the filter is added.
Immediately you need to send the workpiece to cook over low heat. Bringing to a boil and waiting for the beginning of the destruction of the grains, the coffee is removed from the stove and the water is poured out. The cereals are again washed and dried. Next, the grain mass needs to be fried in a hot frying pan, and for a very short time. After roasting, the grains are ground, and only then they can be boiled.
For the benefits of barley drink, see the following video.