POT#10 MEXICAN HORCHATA

Horchata is a healthy flavorsome beverage, originated in the 13th century from the city of Valencia, Spain. In Spain, it is made out of the soaked, ground, and sweetened tiger nuts, but in Mexico, the base is white rice. Spanish Horchata is found to be one of the healthiest drinks, good for the eyesight, and generally been given as an energy drink post-exercise.

Mexican Horchata got a smooth creamy texture along with a mild flavor of cinnamon. It is made out of rice, milk, cinnamon, and sweetener. It is generally made by soaking the rice along with the other ingredients, later ground and strained. 

Here is an easy recipe for Horchata. It actually needs a few and inexpensive ingredients that are readily available at home.

Preparation

Dish: Horchata

Cuisine: Mexican

Time: Preparation time        - 10 minutes

            Resting time                -  4 hours

Quantity: 4 servings

Let us now check out the required ingredients.

Ingredients:

Raw rice                - 3/4 cup

Condensed milk    -  200g

Milk                       - 1/2 cup

Water (hot)            - 2.5 cup

Cinnamon stick     - 2 (about 2 inches each) 

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)   

Procedure:

1. Take the raw rice in a mixing bowl, add the milk to it.

   

2. Also, add the condensed milk to the bowl.

   

3. Now drop the cinnamon stick in it.

   

4. Pour the hot water to the bowl. 

   

5. Mix it well and wait till it cools down.

   

6. Once it reaches the room temperature, cover with a foil/plastic sheet, and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours.

   

7. Now discard the cinnamon stick, strain the watery mixture.

   

8. Blend the remaining ingredients by adding 1.5 cups of the strained water mixture.

   

9. Strain the blended mixture in the reserved liquid.

   

10. Enjoy this scrumptious drink with few ice cubes and cinnamon powder sprinkled over.

    

Tips and Tricks:

1. Firstly, refrigerate the rice mixture for a long time, preferably overnight, for an enhanced flavor.

2. Make sure the rice has been completely liquefied, if not blend it further with some more of the reserved liquid. Let no rice particle remain in the strainer. Straining well without any residues leftover is much important. Possibly, use a strainer with a very small mesh size.

3. The drink tastes great when it is served cold.

4. You can also blend a few pieces of cinnamon along with the rice mixture for a palatable flavor.

5. The alternative for condensed milk is 1.5 cups of evaporated milk with 1- 1 1/3 cups of sugar.

6. For a healthy drink, you can replace sugar/ sweetener with honey/cane sugar/ powdered jaggery. Sweetness can be adjusted as per your taste.

7. To make it more nutritious, you can soak a few almonds and pieces of coconut along with the rice.

8. For vegans, milk can be replaced with plant milk such as coconut milk, soya milk, almond milk, or nut milk of your choice.

9. You can also add flavors to the drink by adding a few pieces of mango, berries, banana, apple, or any fruit of your choice while blending the rice mixture.