Living in hot countries will guarantee you days when the weather is just scorching. As you drive down the highway, you can even see the hot vapour rising up from the tar roads. My husband is very prone to sun-reaction. He’ll get red in the face pretty quickly and the area behind his neck would almost always get burnt. Although we have lotions to take care of that epidermal problem, it’s his internal body heat that I worry. That’s when the pimples and acne start to appear on his scalp along with bouts of sore throats.
Barley is said to cool down your body internally. Barley is like one the cheapest dessert drinks you can make. When you go to eateries, they charge you RM1.50 to RM2.00 for a glass. Pretty okay, but consider that a packet of barley can cost as cheap as 50 cents. I leave you to think about the difference. A small packet like that is enough for two people. I like to use the smaller type of barley. The big ones tend to get really starchy at the end.
Adding lemon juice doubles the refreshing factor. Some people prefer to drink barley straight. That means, with no added sugar. But I think that if you’re adding lemon, you need a bit of sugar to balance out the sourness. This concoction is suitable warm or cold.
BARLEY LEMON DRINK
Ingredients;
A small packet of barley, about 100 gms
Water
Rock sugar, broken into small pieces
Juice of 1 large lemon, strained of pips
Steps;
1. Wash the barley once and get rid of any unwanted sediments. Place the barley in a pot and cover it with water till it reaches 3 inches above the barley.
2. Turn the heat on and let it come to a boil. Turn the heat to simmer and leave it for about 15 – 20 mins. If it’s looking like there’s no water, just add more. To see if they’re ready, taste one barley. If it’s soft enough it should be ready. Stir in your rock sugar and make sure everything is dissolved. Keep tasting the sweetness before you add more. If it becomes too sweet, just add some more water.
3. Turn off the heat and let it cool down. Add in your lemon juice.
4. Drink it as it is or keep in the fridge and drink it cold.
Note; Some people prefer the just the essence and would discard the barley after cooking, but I would take everything since they’re totally edible. Break the rock sugar into small pieces so they dissolve faster than big chunks.
Enjoy!
