dacjohns
Our Frustrated Curmudgeon
Horchata or orxata is the name for several kinds of traditional beverages, made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts (chufas).
Even though I grew up in Southern California and lived in New Mexico I never had horchata until I worked out of Tonopah, NV this past fall. A coworker introduced me to it. Delicious. This recipe is real similar to what I had.
Ingredients
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups skinless almonds
1-inch piece cinnamon bark
8 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice cubes
Directions
Wash and drain the rice. Using a spice grinder (an electric coffee grinder works well too), grind the rice until fine; combine with the almonds and cinnamon bark. Add 3 1/2 cups water and let sit overnight, covered. Blend rice mixture until smooth using a blender. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Strain horchata into a bowl first using a metal strainer and then a double layer of cheesecloth; finish with up to an additional 2 cups of water until it achieves a milky consistency. Enjoy over ice
I know that the authentic recipe calls for chufa but I used one of the alternatives.
Some of the things I did different.
I did not wash and drain the rice.
I used a wheat grinder to grind the rice.
I chopped up the almonds in a food processer.
I used about a cup and a half of almonds (measured before chopping)
I skipped the metal strainer.
I used a cloth mesh for jelly making to strain the mixture.
I used about 6 cups of water instead of 8 cups.
I used more than an inch of cinnamon.
My blender isnt big enough to do the entire batch at once so I did it in a couple of batches.
If you dont have blanched (skinless) almonds just bring some water to a boil, turn off the heat, put you almonds in the hot water for a few minutes, take the almonds out of the water, squeeze the almond between your thumb and fore finger and pop the skin off. Watch out or your almond will go flying across the room.
My wife thinks it is too much work and too expensive with all the almonds. Google horchata and try some of the other recipes. Post what you come up with that is good.
Even though I grew up in Southern California and lived in New Mexico I never had horchata until I worked out of Tonopah, NV this past fall. A coworker introduced me to it. Delicious. This recipe is real similar to what I had.
Ingredients
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups skinless almonds
1-inch piece cinnamon bark
8 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice cubes
Directions
Wash and drain the rice. Using a spice grinder (an electric coffee grinder works well too), grind the rice until fine; combine with the almonds and cinnamon bark. Add 3 1/2 cups water and let sit overnight, covered. Blend rice mixture until smooth using a blender. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Strain horchata into a bowl first using a metal strainer and then a double layer of cheesecloth; finish with up to an additional 2 cups of water until it achieves a milky consistency. Enjoy over ice
I know that the authentic recipe calls for chufa but I used one of the alternatives.
Some of the things I did different.
I did not wash and drain the rice.
I used a wheat grinder to grind the rice.
I chopped up the almonds in a food processer.
I used about a cup and a half of almonds (measured before chopping)
I skipped the metal strainer.
I used a cloth mesh for jelly making to strain the mixture.
I used about 6 cups of water instead of 8 cups.
I used more than an inch of cinnamon.
My blender isnt big enough to do the entire batch at once so I did it in a couple of batches.
If you dont have blanched (skinless) almonds just bring some water to a boil, turn off the heat, put you almonds in the hot water for a few minutes, take the almonds out of the water, squeeze the almond between your thumb and fore finger and pop the skin off. Watch out or your almond will go flying across the room.
My wife thinks it is too much work and too expensive with all the almonds. Google horchata and try some of the other recipes. Post what you come up with that is good.
