Horchata

[Guest guest]

Horchata is a delicious mexican drink, at the restaurant where I go to they put

a little lemon in it. Then they put it in a pretty glass with fine chopped ice. looks like a margarita.

 

I am lazy and just buy a carton of rice milk, add vanilla, cinnamon and ice. -anouk

 

 

or a slightly different version made with almond milk try this link.

http://www.thefoodsection.com/foodsection/2004/05/is_my_blog_burn.html

In any case, Mexican horchata is more commonly made with rice -

Horchata de arroz (Horchata from Rice)2 cups rice. I used brown rice, you can use white or brown2½ quarts water1 cinnamon stick1 cup sugar, or to taste (I like a little less)1 tablespoon vanilla.

Wash the rice, then soak it in cold water for at least 8 hours.Drain the rice, and put it in a blender. Have a cup of water from the 2½ quarts standing by.Blend the rice until it turns into a smooth paste. You may need to add the water to keep the blender from overheating and breaking, flinging parts everywhere and coating the room in a sticky rice gluten muck. Or you might be fine. If you smell smoke, add water to the blender.

Add the rest of the water and the cinnamon stick and put in the fridge for at least two hours.

Strain the mix, first through a standard strainer then through wet cheesecloth. Add the sugar, add the vanilla, stir until sugar dissolves.

Serve cold with spicy food or on its own.

Horchata's popularity gets a boost from the fact that 50+% of Hispanics (and a higher percentage of Asians, African Americans, and Native Americans) are lactose intolerant after weaning according to studies. Horchata's not milk, exactly, but it can serve in its place, sometimes. It certainly is delicious.