Barley tea has its origin in East Asia and is famous in Japan, China, and Korea. It is a simple tea concoction made with toasted barley and water. It is called ‘Bori-cha’ in Korea, ‘Damai-cha’ in China, and ‘Mugi-cha’ in Japan. This Korean Barley Tea can be served either warm or cold based on your liking. Bori-Cha can be drunk as is or with some milk. There is no sweetener of any kind added to it and I did not feel the need for it as well. If I am telling you that I did not need any sugar, then trust me you are in good hands. I did try a little with some lemon juice and it was very refreshing. Korean stores have Barley tea in tea bags readily available to buy or also carry toasted barley kernels. I used plain pearl barley and toasted it myself to brown color and then seeped the tea.
Benefits of Barley
Barley has many health benefits. It is a great grain to consume in a regular diet. I am listing a few that may make you consider using barley periodically.
Barley contains antioxidants that help fight inflammation. It is caffeine free and helps in digestion and overall Gastrointestinal health. Barley is high in fiber and which in turn helps regulate sugar and cholesterol levels. Since barley is high in fiber, it can help in weight loss by slowing hunger.
The flavor of the Bori-cha was quite nutty with a slightly bitter undertone, which was pleasantly liked by me and my husband. The best part is, when seeping the tea, the barley cooks as well and can be used in recipes that call for barley like this Barley Summer Salad. So, once you brew the Bori-Cha, do not discard the barley. I have an amazing recipe coming soon to use the cooked barley. My dear friend Deepika, gave me her tea kettle to use and I could not wait to find an apt recipe to use it for and picture it. This week I am doing 3 different recipes from 3 different Asian countries and after yesterday’s Papaya Lassi from India, today, I have the Korean Barley Tea from Korea (East Asia). The tea kettle was just too perfect and I had so much fun photographing it this morning. Thanks, Deepika for this cute Tea Kettle. Preparation time - 5 minutesCooking time - 30 minutesDifficulty level - easy
Ingredients to make Bori-Cha - Makes 6 cups
Pearl Barley - 3 TBSP Water - 6 cups
Procedure to make Korean Barley Tea
In a large pan, toast the pearl barley until brown and aromatic. Keep the heat low and constantly stir the barley to prevent burning. Barley takes about 7 to 8 minutes to be brown and aromatic.
Add 6 cups of water to the same pan and bring it to a boil.
Once the water boils, simmer the flame and let the barley seep for about 20 minutes.
You can let the barley seep for anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes. 20 minutes for perfect for us as it had a good nutty flavor and at the same time was not too strong.
Strain the mixture and pour into glasses and enjoy.
You could serve it warm or cold. We liked ours warm and it was very soothing.
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