Pearl Barley

This is the most common form of barley, although unfortunately not the most nutritious. Whole kernels of barley grain are hulled and stripped of their bran layer, leaving just the 'pearl' inside. The grains are then polished to a smooth, shiny surface, which makes the barley easier to cook and digest.

The polished grain is one of the main ingredients used in Scotch broth, to which it adds body and a smooth taste. In Ireland, it is cooked in buttermilk and eaten with treacle as a dessert. It is also widely used in soups, casseroles and stews to add flavour and as a thickening agent. When ground, it becomes barley flour, a low-gluten flour that may be combined with wheat flour when making bread or other baked goods. It may also be used to produce barley flakes and malt.

Pearl barley cooks in about 60-90 minutes, although it is also sold in quick-cooking forms that take considerably less time.