Mexican Rice Horchata

Before you start

Mexican horchata is a sweet, creamy, cinnamon-scented drink made from rice soaked in water, blended and strained. It is served ice cold, often alongside spicy food. Unlike the Spanish version, which uses tiger nuts, the Mexican one is built on raw white rice, and the creaminess comes from the starch, not necessarily from dairy.

The soak is the key step. Rice and broken cinnamon stick sit in hot water for at least 8 hours, which softens the grains enough to blend into a fine slurry and draws flavor from the cinnamon. Then the straining makes or breaks the texture: a fine sieve followed by a nut-milk bag or cheesecloth gives a silky drink with no chalky grit. Sugar, vanilla and a little milk go in at the end.

Ingredients

• 200 g (1 cup) long-grain white rice — uncooked
• 1 (about 7.5 cm / 3 in) cinnamon stick — Ceylon (canela) is traditional, broken into pieces
• 1 liter (4 cups) hot water — for soaking
• 240 ml (1 cup) cold water — for diluting
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk — optional; or more water
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar — adjust to taste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• To serve ice and ground cinnamon

Method

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water for about 30 seconds to remove surface starch and dust.
2. Put the rice and broken cinnamon in a bowl and pour over 1 liter hot tap water (not boiling). Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
3. Pour the rice, cinnamon and soaking water into the blender. Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is as fine as possible and the liquid looks milky.
4. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids. Then strain again through a nut-milk bag or a sieve lined with damp cheesecloth, squeezing gently to extract the liquid.
5. Stir in the cold water, milk, sugar and vanilla until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness or add water if it is too thick.
6. Chill until cold and serve over ice with a dusting of ground cinnamon. Stir well before each pour.

Tips for success

• Ceylon cinnamon sticks are soft and flaky and blend easily. Cassia sticks are hard on blenders; break them first or use a smaller piece.
• Blend longer than seems necessary. Finer rice means a smoother drink and more flavor extracted.
• A tablespoon of blanched almonds soaked with the rice adds a nutty richness.

Substitutions

Whole milk

Use water for a dairy-free horchata, which is common and lighter. Oat or almond milk add creaminess without dairy.

Granulated sugar

Sweetened condensed milk, about 120 ml, replaces both sugar and milk and makes a richer, dessert-like drink.

Long-grain rice

Jasmine rice works and adds a faint floral note. Avoid parboiled or instant rice, which do not blend well.

Variations

Strawberry horchata

Blend 150 g fresh strawberries into the finished horchata and strain once more.

Horchata coffee

Pour cold horchata over ice and add a shot of cooled espresso.

Troubleshooting

Chalky or gritty texture

The rice was not soaked long enough or the straining was too coarse. Soak a full 8 hours and strain through cloth.

Thin and watery

Too much water was added. Next time hold back the cold water and add it to taste.

Weak cinnamon flavor

Use a larger piece of stick or a fresher one, and dust ground cinnamon on top when serving.

Storage

Refrigerate in a covered pitcher and drink within 3 days. It separates as it sits, so stir or shake before serving. If you use milk, do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours.