ReceptnaptárPearl barley soup
Pearl barley soup is a simple dish from the old kitchen with a pleasant chew: the barley simmers in meat broth until tender, and at the end egg yolk, butter and sour cream make it silky. If you have leftover broth, it gives you a new dish for very little work. It is a filling first course, and it offers far more fibre than rice soup.
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Ingredients
Method
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- Rinse the pearl barley well in cold water.
- Bring the broth to a boil, sprinkle in the barley, and cook over low heat, covered, for 25-30 minutes until the grains are soft - stir occasionally so it doesn't stick.
- In a soup tureen, mix the egg yolk smoothly with the butter and the sour cream.
- Drizzle in a ladleful of the hot soup, stirring, to warm the mixture gradually, then pour the whole thing back into the pot and mix well.
- Serve immediately, don't boil it any further.
- Note: made the same way with rice instead of pearl barley, you get rice soup.
Based on: Malatinszky Fanny szakácskönyve (a classic Hungarian cookbook), modernised. Calories and protein are estimated.
Tips
- Rinse the pearl barley thoroughly, because the starch on its surface makes the soup cloudy and slimy.
- If you have time, soak it for an hour, because it then softens faster and the grains cook more evenly.
- Choose a heavy-based pan and stir the soup from time to time, because barley can settle on the bottom and catch easily.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pearl barley and hulled barley?
Pearl barley is polished, so it softens faster and has a shorter cooking time. Hulled barley is more wholesome, but it needs 45-60 minutes of cooking and stays chewier.
Can I leave out the egg and sour cream?
Yes, without them you get a clear, light soup. A few cubes of carrot and celeriac added to the pot still make it a complete, simple dish.
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