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Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an annual cereal grain, which serves as a major animal feed crop, with smaller amounts used for malting and in health food. A large part of the remainder is used for malting and is a key ingredient in beer and whisky production. Two-row barley is traditionally used in German and English beers, and six-row barley was traditionally used in American beers. Both varieties are in common usage in America now. Barley is often regarded unfoundedly as inferior food compared with wheat but it is a nutritious grain and is a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, iron, niacin and soluble fibre. The nutrients are concentrated mainly near the bran and hence the more the grain is milled the less nutritious it becomes. Types of barley: - Flaked barley- The grain is flattened, like rolled oats.
- Pot barley or Scotch barley- Coarsely ground with most of the husk (and hence nutrients) removed.
- Pearled barley- Outer husk and bran is milled off in such a way as to produce pearl-like grains. Poor in nutrients because of the loss of the bran layer but it takes less time to cook (about half an hour). In Afrikaans, well-milled barley of this sort is termed kaalgars (i.e. 'naked barley').
- Hulled barley- Only the outer husk is removed and not the bran layer, hence most of the nutrients are retained. However, being less refined it takes longer to cook (grain needs to be soaked in water for a few hours and then boiled for about an hour).
- Barley flour- Barely grains ground into flour that is dark coloured, not white. The low gluten content means that it does not cause rising of baked goods and hence is usually mixed with other flours when used in baking.
- Barley absorbs the flavours of the liquid it is cooked in and hence is a good addition to soups and stews. It can also be eaten with vegetables as a vegetarian meal with a reasonably high protein content. It is often used as a substitute for rice.
- The main use of barley in southern Africa is for malting to produce beer.
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