Horchata migrated from Spain, where the original sweet, milky beverage was made from nutty-tasting chufa nuts. Lacking chufas in Mexico, cooks came up with rice as a replacement (in some places rice and almonds). In the Yucatan, the replacement became rice and coconut, which, I have to admit, is the version I’m drawn to most. Since rice alone turns out a rather thin beverage, many street vendors add evaporated or condensed milk to give body. Coconut milk, too, can provide just what’s needed, plus add a very satisfying flavor. That’s what you’ll turn out with this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 cups raw white rice
- A 2-inch piece of cinnamon stick (preferably Mexican canela)
- A 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
Soak the rice. In a bowl, combine the rice and cinnamon stick with 2 ½ cups water, cover and let stand for a day, or preferably, overnight.
Blend and strain. Scrape the mixture, liquid and all, into a blender and blend for several minutes, until a drop rubbed between your fingers no longer feels gritty. (With a high-speed blender like a VitaMix, you’ll get the smoothest results.) Add 2 ½ cups of water and blend to incorporate (do this in batches if all of it won't fit into your blender). Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to do this in batches. Set up a medium mesh strainer or large colander over a mixing bowl and line it with 2 layers of dampened cheesecloth. A cup or so at a time, pour in the mixture, gently stirring to help the liquid pass through. (Or, easier, pour it all into the strainer and let gravity pull it through, about 20 minutes.) When the liquid has passed through, gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and twist them together to trap the dregs inside. Squeeze the package firmly to extract any remaining liquid.
Finish the horchata. Return the mixture to the blender (again, you may have to do this in batches), add the coconut milk and sugar and blend until smooth. Pour over ice in tall glasses and it’s ready to hand to your lucky guests. The horchata can be prepared hours in advance (keep it in the refrigerator if possible), though it will need to be stirred before serving.
