Barley Water
Ingredients
Directions
Combine pearl barley and cold water in a pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the liquid reduces to two-thirds of a pint.
Strain the mixture through muslin to remove the barley.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Pearl barley
- Releases starch and flavour into the water, giving the drink its body and mild taste.
The step that matters
Simmering until the liquid reduces to two-thirds of a pint. Simmering concentrates the barley's flavour and starch in the water. Stopping too early leaves a weak, thin drink, while over-reducing makes it strong and sticky.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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