Burbara (Wheat Berry Pudding)
Burbara Middle Eastern wheat berry pudding is a delicious treat made typically on December 4th to kick-off the Christmas season. Burbara is traditionally made from tender wheat berries, but this recipe uses pearl barely for a shortcut. It is seasoned with cinnamon, fennel seeds, and anise seeds. To finish, top your burbara with nuts, dried fruit and pomegranate seeds for a festive holiday treat! Make the pearl barley ahead if you like and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble your burbara pudding with the nuts etc.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearled barley
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ cup chopped dried apricots
- ½ cup raisins or dried cherries
- pomegranate seeds for garnish
- nuts of choice for garnish, I used sliced almonds, walnuts, and pistachios
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the barley with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and cover to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover and stir in the cinnamon, sugar, anise seeds, and fennel seeds. Stir in the dried fruit. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the barley is fully cooked and tender, stirring occasionally. The dried fruit will rehydrate and plump up and the barley mixture will be creamy.
- Transfer the burbara to serving bowls and top with nuts, more dried fruit, and pomegranate seeds for garnish. (You can also refrigerate for later)
Notes
- Pearl barley is a shortcut substitute for the wheat berry that is typically used. If you do use wheat berries, make sure to soak them overnight first before cooking.
- Garnish each serving individually, instead of topping the entire saucepan with your chosen garnish.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Burbara will keep for 3 to 4 days.Eat leftovers warm or cold! To reheat, add a small amount of water to your serving of burbara (to keep it from drying out) and warm it over medium-heat, stirring regularly. Add your topping after the burbara has been reheated.
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Nutrition
Calories: 212.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 50.5g | Protein: 4.1g | Fat: 0.6g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 9.9mg | Potassium: 338.6mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 13.8g | Vitamin A: 400IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 33.1mg | Iron: 1.7mg
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