checking barley for bugs (in Israel)

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen

Checking barley for bugs (in Israel)

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

suomynona

Wed, May 03 2006, 6:03 pm

How do I do it?

I usually buy the checked kind, but the store was out of it.

I need an answer before I make my cholent tomorrow!

binah918

Thu, May 04 2006, 5:41 am

I never even thought to check it, but it makes sense. Mayeb check it like rice? Put it in a bowl of water, mix it around a little and let the hollow grains rise to teh top. (If they're hollow it means the bugs have eaten out the inside of the grain.)

TzenaRena

Thu, May 04 2006, 5:49 am

Do they sell prechecked barley? How is it packaged? And what's the guarantee that it can't get re-infested after the checking ?

and binah918, if there are hollow grains, what do you do with the rest of it?

I heard you can check grains like this: put it on a warm/ hot plate, and you will see movement if there is infestation. Anybody tries this?

Last edited by TzenaRena on Thu, May 04 2006, 7:01 am; edited 1 time in total

Mishie

Thu, May 04 2006, 5:52 am

Check it like rice:

Measure in a cup, and pour out, a little at a time, into a plate, move them around, and check that there are no bugs, and pour them into a bowl, continue until the cup is empty. (you can keep on adding as many cups as you need, but this way, you'll know exactly how many cups you've used, for your recipe, I.e. how much water/spices to add).

When you're done checking, add water to the bowl, and swish around, and check if anything floats to the top.
Then pour water out, and add fresh water.
Continue to do this until the water is clear and not cloudy anymore.

It's usually pretty clean, but I've found bugs occasionally, so, it's really important to check!

Good Luck!

8)

amother

Thu, May 04 2006, 5:57 am

This is not only for those in Israel. I'm in the UK and I have found mites in barley in the past.

shalhevet

Thu, May 04 2006, 6:15 am

SaraYehudis wrote:

Do they sell prechecked barley? How is it packaged? And what's the guarantee that it can't get re-infested after the checking ?

Yes, they do in Israel. It has the hechsher of the eida chareidis and is vacuum packed so can't become reinfested. The company is called Helsi and they also do lots of other things like rice- white and brown, beans, lentils etc.

suomynona

Thu, May 04 2006, 6:35 am

thanks everyone!

I think it used to be called Helsi, but is now called KiTov. Comes in a bright blue bag.

TzenaRena

Thu, May 04 2006, 6:56 am

Well, it would be nice if they could bring it here to the States. We're seeing alot of these products with good hechsherim brought in lately. I see rice with Eidah Hachareidis hechsher, but not prechecked.

Alternately, suomynona, you could use rice in your choldent. It's quite tasty. I've done that sometimes, when I realized too late that I was out of barley. (My cholent goes on too close to Shabbos to get whatever I'm missing. embarrassed

)

ektsm

Thu, May 04 2006, 7:26 am

Why can't you just put it through the strainer and rince it thourghly? I turn it around with my hands a take a good look to make sure nothing is in it. I would never be able to sort each individual barly.

binah918

Thu, May 04 2006, 8:10 am

I had no idea kitov we precheked! that's what I usually buy (and check on my own).

Expecting

Thu, May 04 2006, 9:51 am

if kitov is vaccuum packed and in that blue bag, I dont think it has to be checked. I personally would be petrified to use the not checked stuff.... where do you live, suo? maybe I can gtet you some somehow?

Page 1 of 1