Latvians say about them-selves that they are great eaters, therefore rich dishes are characteristic to the traditional Latvian cuisine. This applies also to the pearl barley porridge characteristic to the national cuisine! This is a dish with lots of calories for true hard-workers.
What exactly is pearl barley porridge? It is a pearl barley and potato porridge served with sauce of fried pork and onions. Pearl barley and sliced potatoes are boiled in water, milk is added when they are ready, giving the porridge mild taste.
When the porridge is ready it is taken off the oven and left for several hours to rest. Before serving the porridge, smoked pork with fat and onions are fried. The sauce is poured over the porridge. This dish is very rich, with a strong taste of onions and smoked meat.