The Pantry / Pearl barley
Pearl barley
jau
An ancient grain, thickening a long-cooked pot.
What it is
Pearl barley is barley with its hull and bran polished away, leaving pale, round grains that cook to a soft, nutty chewiness and release starch that thickens a dish. It is an old grain, used here where a slow-cooked pot wants body and bite.
Where it comes from
Barley is among the oldest cultivated grains and is used across the north. In the Mughal Corridor it goes into haleem — the long-cooked porridge of wheat, lentils, meat and grain — where it adds to the thick, blended body of the dish.
What it's called
Pearl barley · jau (Hindi). The hulled, polished form of barley (Hordeum vulgare).
In the kitchen
Soaked and simmered long into haleem alongside cracked wheat, lentils and meat, cooked down until everything blends to a thick, unctuous mass. Also used in hearty soups and cooling barley waters. It needs long cooking to soften and give up its thickening starch.
What we know about the claims
Barley is a wholesome whole-ish grain with good fibre; it contains gluten, so not suitable for those avoiding it. Otherwise nourishing everyday food.
Choosing and buying
Sold everywhere as pearl barley (UK and US supermarkets and grocers). Rinse and soak for the long-cooked dishes it suits.