Horchata
Horchata
Here are two delicious recipes for horchata. The first is a more traditional recipe, the second is a non-dairy version. Enjoy!
Agua de horchata
1 cup raw rice
1 ½ cup hot water
1 whole piece of Mexican cinnamon about 4 inches long (or to taste)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups skim milk
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup water
½ cup sugar (or to taste)
Directions:
Place the rice and cinnamon in a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to soak for 2 hours or until the rice begins to soften. Pour rice, soaking liquid, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a blender and blend well until smooth. Using a fine-meshed sieve, strain rice mixture into a pitcher and discard the solid residue. If desired, use some of the milk to clean out blender jar well so that all of the fine rice silt is captured. Pour in remaining milks and water and sugar. Mix well until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate and serve cold or over ice and garnish with cinnamon.
Non-Dairy Horchata
2 cups raw long-grain white rice, ground fine
2 whole 2-inch cinnamon sticks
~boiling water for soaking
1–11/2 cups sugar
1+ teaspoons vanilla
Ice cubes
Directions:
1. Place the rice and cinnamon in a spacious, heat-resistant mixing bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Top with plastic wrap and set aside for 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Pour the rice mixture through a fine mesh strainer, drain well and discard the water.
3. Place half of the softened rice, 1 cinnamon stick, and 4 cups of water in a blender and liquefy. Repeat with the remaining rice, cinnamon stick and water.
4. Pour the liquid through a fine strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, into a bowl. Discard the solids.
5. Add the sugar and vanilla to the rice water and mix until dissolved. Adjust sweetness to to suit your taste.
6. Chill the agua de horchata for 2–3 hours.
7. Serve over ice and garnish with cinnamon.
