2/3 c Medium- or long-grain rice
3 c Water; warm
1 Mexican cinnamon stick; (2")
1 c Sugar; or more if needed
2 c Whole milk
Ground Mexican cinnamon
Put the rice in a blender or spice grinder and process until
complewtely pulverized, with a flourlike texture. Alternatively, you
can leave the rice whole if you prefer. Combine the rice powder, warm
water, and cinnamon stick and stir with a whisk until well combined.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight.
Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until as smooth as
possible. It will feel slightly grainy but should not be gritty.
Strain into a pitcher through a sieve or colander lined with a couple
layers of cheesecloth, pressing the solids with the back of a wooden
spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in the sugar and
milk, then taste and add more sugar if you like.
Refrigerate until completely chilled. Serve over ice, topped with a
sprinkling of the ground cinnamon.
Variations:
* Add 2 tb worth of cantaloupe chunks and red prickly pear and 1 tb of
pecans in a tall glass of horchata. The prickly pear makes the
horchata turn a light shade of pink, and the chunks of fruit and
pecans compliment the horchata wonderfully.
* Coconut Horchata: Add 1/2 c of ground, blanced almonds to the
rice powder mixture before you soak it, and 1 c of fresh coconut
flesh when blending the rice mixture. If the consistency is too
thick, add water.
* Nut Horchata: Add 1 c of raw nuts (almonds, cashews, or peanuts)
to the rice powder mixture before soakung, then proceed as directed.
