Ingredients
Soak
- 250 glong-grain white rice
- 1 litrewater
- 2cinnamon sticks
To finish
- 1 litrewater
- 150 gsugar
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 200 mlevaporated milk, optional
To serve
- ice
- ground cinnamon
Directions
- Rinse the rice once, briefly, and no more than that.
- Do not wash the starch away. The starch is what gives horchata its body and its cloudy white colour, and thoroughly rinsed rice makes a thin, watery drink.
- Put the rice and the broken cinnamon sticks in a bowl with a litre of water and leave them to soak overnight, or at least 6 hours, at room temperature.
- Soak it long. The rice has to soften right through, and a short soak leaves grit that no amount of straining will remove.
- Blend the rice, cinnamon and all the soaking water at high speed for a full 2 minutes, until it is as smooth as you can get it.
- Blend it far longer than you would expect. The finer the grind, the more body the drink has and the less of it is lost in the sieve.
- Strain it through a fine sieve lined with muslin, gathering the cloth up and squeezing hard.
- Squeeze it out properly, because what stays behind in the cloth is exactly what you set out to make.
- Strain a second time for a smoother drink.
- Stir in the remaining litre of water, the sugar, vanilla, and the evaporated milk if you are using it.
- Taste and adjust. It should be sweet and distinctly cinnamon-forward, but still thin enough to drink in quantity on a hot day.
- Chill it thoroughly and serve over plenty of ice with a dusting of ground cinnamon.
- Stir it before every pour. It separates as it stands, which is not a fault and is exactly how it comes out of the glass barrels at a taco stand.
- Spain’s horchata de chufa, made from tiger nuts, was remade in Mexico with rice, and the two now share a name and very little else.
Technique
- Use Mexican canela, true Ceylon cinnamon, which is soft, papery and mild rather than the hard cassia sold as cinnamon across most of Europe.
- Milk is optional and plenty of street vendors leave it out entirely.
- Some cooks add a handful of blanched almonds to the soak, which thickens it further.
Substitutions
- Cassia cinnamon, using rather less of it.
- Almond milk for a dairy-free version with more body.
Variations
- Horchata de coco, made with coconut.
- With a strip of lime zest added to the soak.
- The Salvadoran version made from morro seeds, which is a wholly different drink.
History
Spain’s horchata de chufa was remade in Mexico with rice, cinnamon and sugar, sold from glass barrels at taco stands and markets.
Frequently asked questions
What is Horchata?
Horchata is a drink from Mexico: sweet rice-cinnamon agua fresca served over ice. Spain’s horchata de chufa was remade in Mexico with rice, cinnamon and sugar, sold from glass barrels at taco stands and markets.
How long does Horchata take to make?
Horchata takes 15 min plus overnight soaking of preparation and no cooking at all. The recipe makes 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Horchata?
Yes, within limits. Cassia cinnamon, using rather less of it. Almond milk for a dairy-free version with more body.
What is the most important thing to get right in Horchata?
Do not wash the starch away. The starch is what gives horchata its body and its cloudy white colour, and thoroughly rinsed rice makes a thin, watery drink.
