Re: Barley

: Anybody can give me few yummy recipes for
: barley, one of the most neglected grains of
: the family. I would not like to know how to
: cook it, but how to make it good. I think it
: is a little yin cereal, so I guess it needs
: to be cooked for a while in the oven?

: Regards-- Hello Massimo...barley is a good grain for the liver and this is the next season (wood) according to the five transformations beginning in March sometime, depending on where you live. It's not a hard grain to cook. It takes around 35-40 minutes of simmering on low heat covered after it comes to a boil. Use 1/8 tsp sea salt per one cup of uncooked grain. Water should cover barley around an inch to an inch and a half. Cooking is experiencing the effects of your surroundings, your stove, and your condition and making the proper adjustments. Once you know how to cook the barley then you can create the dishes you want based upon that knowledge. Looking at recipes gives you more variety of ideas. I suggest a macrobiotic cookbook. The Basic Zen Cookery (now The First Macrobiotic Cookbook), Macrobiotic Cooking, Kushi/Esko; The Self-Healing Cookbook, Kristina Turner; and Basic Macrobiotic Cooking, Julia Ferre. These are available at (800) 232-2372 or OPW Bookstore at the KI (I think). There are different types of cooking and baking is just one and is a more yang style than steaming, boiling, or pressure cooking...check it out and experiment. And try to get yourself on a more balanced, grain and fresh vegetable based eating program, even if it takes some gradual changes. And study yin/yang, five transformations...Bill