These pearl barley recipes featured barley that has been processed to remove the hull and bran. A more accurate name is pearled barley or 小麦仁 (xiao mai ren).
This is different from the chinese pearl barley which is also known as job's tears or coix seeds or 薏仁 (yi mi). In Singapore, the two has been pretty mixed up. I grew up thinking that pearled barley is coix seeds. I have fond memories of 薏米水 (yi mi shui) and 腐竹薏米 (fu zhu yi mi) which are often made with pearl barley and not coix seeds. The correct English names are barley water and sweet barley soup with beancurd skin and ginkgo nuts.
Coming back to the pearled barley. Even with the hull and bran removed, it is still packed with goodness. Vitamins, proteins, minerals and dietary fiber. It is good for the kidneys, spleen and blood.
Here's a savory recipe with lamb.
Lamb soup with pearl barley
This combination of pearl barley, lamb and goji berries is suitable for the elderly and those feeling general lethargy. It is also good for ladies with irregular menstruation.
Ingredients20g goji berries
200g pearl barley
75g lamb or mutton
10g cooking wine
15g ginger juice
Salt and pepper
2 tsp cornstarch
Directions
- Wash the goji berries
- Cut the lamb or mutton into small cubes
- Marinate the cubes with half of the cooking wine, ginger juice, salt and pepper and lastly cornstarch
- Wash ahd drain the pearl barley
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the pearl barley
- Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes
- Add the rest of the wine, ginger juice and lamb cubes
- Bring it back to a boil and lower to a simmer
- Simmer till the lamb is tender
- Add the goji berries and cook till they plump up
- Add some salt and pepper to taste before serving
Recipe link: Lamb soup with pearl barley
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