Homemade Sattu Flour (Barley Flour) – Tibbe Nabawi Series Recipe #1

Asalamu’Alaikum! we have started a whole new recipe series called the Tibbe Nabawi Series. Here we all bring to you healthy and nutritious recipes that were given to us by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) himself. We hope to revive the divine diet that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad from Allah SWT himself. Let us ponder on this Hadith:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5679)

This Hadith clearly teaches us that Allah created no disease without it’s cure. These days we find so many books, researches, articles, and videos on ‘how to live longer’, or ‘how to be healthier’, but none of the remedies and tips that are provided can match the beauty, simplicity, and wisdom behind the prophetic diet. At Children of the Ummah, we want to focus on the insightful and simple medicine of the Prophet (saw).

The first recipe we bring to you, is homemade Sattu Flour or barley four. In Arabic, Sattu is called Saweeq, whereas in Urdu, it is called Sattu. Sattu is an easy recipe that can be used to make talbina (porridge), barley water, and breads (recipes coming soon!). There are only a couple of steps and only one ingredient!

Benefits of Sattu:

• It helps in losing weight
• It helps improve and regulate bowel movements
• It helps to flush out toxins in the body
• It enhances energy
• It increases the appetite
• It is high in nutrients
• It lowers cholesterol levels
• It also helps combat chemical substances in the intestine that can cause cancer

You can see how such a simple ingredient has so many benefits.

Sattu can be used to make different foods and drinks:

• Talbina (barley porridge with milk and honey)
• Thareed (to add to your lamb or mutton curry)
• Milk shakes
• Sattu drink in water
• Hais (with tendered dates in butter)
• Barley soups

You can see how Sattu is a popular ingredient among Islamic medicine, in fact there is a Hadith narrated by Aishah (RA) on the preparation of barley soup:

Ibn-e-Majah narrated that Aishah (RA) said: “When a member of the family of Rasoolullah (SAW) would fall sick, he would order that Barley soup is made and then the ill person would be commanded to have some of it.”

Now let us learn how to prepare Sattu flour.

You can watch the full recipe here:

Here is what you will need:

• 2 pounds of Malted Barley (with husks) or regular barley (with husks)

Method:

1. Begin by sorting out your two pounds of barley for any wild rice or rocks. Sometimes there will be some dark grains of rice that are in the barley that can just be taken out.
2. Next, you will need to roast the barley on a medium heat for 45 minutes (Less if it is malted). Make sure that you are stirring continuously to get an even roast and colour.
3. You will know the barley is finished when it becomes lighter, smells like popcorn, and also has a nice warm colour and crunch to it when you bite on a grain.
4. Let your barley grains cool completely before grinding them in a food processor. Strain out the flour for breads and sattu drink and keep the rest of the grains as a chunky mix for Talbina (barley porridge).

Recipe Notes and Tips:

• You can use however much barley you desire. We listed the amount we used.
• You can use a coffee grinder, mortar and pestle, or a food processor for the grinding part.

Additional information:

Sattu can be slightly constipating. This problem can be fixed by adding honey. In the case of Talbina (porridge) for example, you can mix honey into it which will work as a healthy sweetener and also cover the constipating factors of Sattu.

Sattu is a super food that is especially beneficial for those with fevers. It strengthens the stomach, quenches the thirst and works as an anti-nauseant. This recipe is a must try and will benefit you greatly!