Sunnah Recipes: Barley

Struggling to keep up our strength is a feeling we know all too well during this blessed month. The Prophet (saw) showed us that there are ways to deal with the internal battle between our hearts craving Allah and our stomachs craving sustenance - simply eating the right foods. Prophet Muhammad (saw) avoided such fatigue by eating foods that are high in energy with proven individual healing qualities. Using the foods that the Prophet (saw) enjoyed eating, we've compiled a number of different delicious recipes and treats to try out this Ramadan.

Barley

Barley is one of the five healthiest foods we tend not to eat. It was in fact one of the main foodstuffs in the diet of The Prophet (saw). It has many benefits including being slow to digest, which keeps us fuller for longer. Here is one way in which you can enjoy barley:

Talbinah – A porridge prepared using barley and milk

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of milk

1 & 1/2 tablespoons of barley flour

Honey to sweeten

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put the milk in a pot on medium heat and throw in the barley flour. Use the finer particles of the flour.

2. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. Constantly stir to avoid lumpiness.

3. The mixture will thicken a bit.

4. Sweeten with honey and serve.

TIPS AND SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• Add elachie powder for extra taste
• 2-3 chopped dates per cup of milk can also be added
• Raw honey tastes much better than normal honey in talbinah
  
  

Besides the immense health benefits outlined above, our greatest rewards really lie in following the Sunnah. Allah said to His Messenger (saw): 'Say (to mankind), if you love Allah, follow me – Allah will love you and forgive your sins' [Qur’an 3:31].

Try one of these recipes and send us your photos! Check us out on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter for more information.

---