Barley
- Barley which are called Pearl Barley is barley which are processed and polished to remove the outer bran layer.
- Chinese Pearl Barley and English Pearl Barley are 2 commonly consumed pearl barley in Singapore.
- English Pearl Barley (also known as Holland barley) is used to describe the pearl barley from Holland.
Chinese Barley
Grain Size & Shape: Slightly Bigger and Round
Clarity of Drink after Cooking: Clear
Cost: Higher as Compared to English pearl barley
English Barley
Grain Size & Shape: Small and thin
Clarity of Drink after Cooking: Less clear, milky
Cost: Lower as Compared to Chinese pearl barley
Commonly Known as
What can it be used for?
Barley Drink
In Singapore, you can find barley drinks sold in Chinese medical halls or beverage stalls in food courts. You can use both Chinese barley or English barley to prepare this drink. If you prefer a clear drink, please use Chinese barley.
Cheng Tng - Dessert
Pearl barley can be used to cook Chinese desserts, like the Gingko nuts and bean curd dessert (白果薏米), Cheng Tng (清汤). Pearl barley also can be added to make winter melon barley soup.
Preparatory methods
It’s not necessary to soak pearl barley before cooking, as the outer hard barn layer has been removed during polishing and processing. Just give it a quick rinse and you can use it in your cooking. It will turn soft during cooking.
How is it sold?
At SGDriedGoods, Pearl Barley is sold by weight, in cans or packets.
Sold by Weight
Sold in multiples of 100g.
Sold in Cans
Sold in standard cans or packets.
Sold in Packets
Sold in standard packets.