7 Easy And Interesting Barley Recipes For Babies

7 Easy And Interesting Barley Recipes For Babies

Barley (jau in Hindi) is an ancient grain cultivated and eaten around the world since centuries. It was one of the first grains cultivated and is rich in a multitude of vitamins and minerals including protein, Vitamins A and C, Riboflavin, Calcium, potassium, iron, fibre and many more.

Ancient grains had lost their popularity with the advent of fast food but are now are gaining popularity again for their amazing health benefits. Adding barley to your family’s diet helps regulate blood pressure, improve bone health and heart health, reduces inflammation and relieves constipation.

Barley is also especially beneficial to babies because of its great nutritional value. You could introduce barley to babies when you first introduce solids to them. Cooked Barley has a slightly nutty flavour and a chewy texture like pasta. Remember that barley needs to be well-cooked before serving to babies so that they can digest it. Also, perform the 3-day test on babies when you first introduce any new food, i.e. wait for 3 days after feeding them a new food to watch for any allergic reaction before offering them the same again.

Also read: 7 Healthy Monsoon Recipes For Children

Easy Barley Recipes For Babies

#1. Simple Barley Porridge

Ingredients

  • Barley – 1 cup
  • Water – 3 1/2 cup
  • Jaggery for sweetening

Method

  • In a pressure cooker, put the barley and water and cook for about three whistles.
  • Once the cooker has cooled a bit, open the lid, add jaggery if you want, and blend the mixture till smooth.
  • Strain this mixture and your barley porridge is ready. Feed it to your baby while still lukewarm.

#2. Apple Banana Barley Porridge

Ingredients

  • Barley – 1 cup
  • Apples – ¼ cup, peeled and cubed
  • Water – 3½ cups of water

Method

  • Wash the barley well and cook it in a pressure cooker with three cups of water.
  • Once the barley is cooked, add the chopped apples and the remaining half cup of water and simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat till the apples soften.
  • For a baby who has just been introduced to solid food, you can puree the mixture before feeding. For slightly older children, mash it well with a spoon.

#3. Barley Balls

Ingredients

  • Barley – 1 cup, soft cooked pearled barley
  • Sweet Potato – 1 cup, cooked and mashed
  • Apple sauce -1/2 cup
  • Cinnamon or nutmeg powder – a pinch for flavour

Method

  • Mix all ingredients well in a bowl. You should be able to knead it in a thick dough like mixture.
  • Shape into small bite-sized “balls”. Your baby will enjoy this as finger food.

Also read: 5 Simple Recipes You Can Make With Your Kids

#4. Barley Khichdi

Ingredients

  • Barley – 1/2 cup, washed and drained
  • Ghee – 2 tsps
  • Jeera – 1tsp
  • Tomatoes – 1/2 cup, finely chopped
  • Bell peppers – 1/2 cup. Red, yellow and green mixed, finely chopped
  • Broccoli – 1/2 cup, chopped in small florets
  • Salt to taste

Method

  • In a cooker, add the ghee. Once the ghee heats, add cumin, vegetables, and tomatoes.
  • Cook the vegetables well on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
  • Add the Barley, salt and 3 times the water (1 1/2 cup in this case). Pressure cook for 2 whistles.
  • Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Serve with a dollop of ghee.

#5. Barley Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • Barley – 1 cup
  • Onion – 1, finely chopped
  • Carrot – 1/2 cup, finely diced
  • Tomato – 2, finely chopped
  • Tomato paste – 1 tablespoon
  • Peas – 1/2 cup
  • Baby spinach leaves – 1 cup, chopped roughly
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Mixed herbs like basil and oregano to taste
  • Water – 4 cups

Method

  • Heat the oil in a heavy pan. Add onions and cook until they are soft.
  • Add the carrots, peas, tomatoes, tomato paste, barley, and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Add the spinach, salt, and herbs and simmer for a further 1-2 minutes.
  • Serve the soup warm. For very small babies, you can puree this soup before feeding them.

#6. Barley Dosa

Ingredients

  • Barley – 1 cup
  • Dosa Rice – 1 cup
  • Urad dal – ¾ cup
  • Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp

Method

  • Soak Barley and Dosa Rice together in enough water overnight. In a separate container, soak the urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in enough water overnight (over 6 hours of soaking required).
  • Next day, Grind urad dal and fenugreek in a grinder or mixer to smooth paste adding enough water. Transfer the batter to a bowl.
  • Grind barley and rice together in grinder or mixer into a smooth batter.
  • Mix both the ground batters together well, cover and leave to ferment in a warm place for at least 6-8 hours. The batter will rise, smell a little sour and become fluffy.
  • Add salt to the batter and mix well. Add water and make a runny batter. Heat a tava or frying pan. Grease with little ghee. Pour a ladleful of dosa batter and spread it evenly.
  • Add little oil all over the edges and cook both sides. Remove from heat and serve hot with chutney, kurma or sambar.

Also read: 5 Tasty And Healthy Salad Recipes For Moms

#7. Barley Banana Muffins

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – 1 cup
  • Barley flour – 1 cup
  • Baking soda – 1 tsp
  • Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
  • Brown sugar – 1/2 cup
  • Salt – 1/2 tsp
  • Vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons
  • Bananas – 2 medium, ripe
  • Honey – 1/4 cup
  • Egg – 1 large
  • Buttermilk – 3/4 cup
  • Vanilla – 1 tsp
  • Cinnamon Powder – 1 tsp

Method

  • In a large mixing bowl combine flour, barley flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, dark brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • In another bowl whisk together the oil, honey, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Mash the banana, add to the wet ingredients and mix well.
  • Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until well combined.
  • Grease muffin tin and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Divide mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups and top with raw sugar.
  • Bake for 16-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
  • These muffins are excellent finger food for your babies and your older kids will enjoy them in their tiffin boxes or as a snack.

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