We use barley often. What we call "brown rice" at home is really a mixture
of brown rice, pearl barley, millet, wheat berries, and sometimes adzuki or
mung beans. It cooks in 40 minutes just like brown rice.
Occaisionally we use barly or millet in other recipes, but not on a regular
basis. I guess it's a matter of habit more than preference.
We also drink Japanese "mugi-cha" (barley tea) on occaision. Barley and
millet were very common in Japan until about 50 years ago. Michiko's
parents eat half barley, half rice when they were young. It was much more
common than now. And of couse white rice became the norm.
Jeff, why on earth are you eating 10 year old barley? My wife says that
older rice is usually cooked the same amount of time but with more water.
Perhaps your old barley takes so long because it is so dry?
Eric:
