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Rice Drink (Horchata de arroz)

If you travel to Mexico, you will see many street stands selling only fresh cold beverages. Most are made from fresh fruit. This, which like the French orgeat must go back to some medieval Mediterranean original, is the mysterious white one that you will see in the glass jugs. It’s one of my favorite flavors. My son Rodrigo always begs for me to make this refreshing drink.
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Course Drinks
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4
Calories 174 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup rice
  • 1 2-inch piece canela or 1 1-inch piece U.S. “cinnamon”
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 5-6 cups cold water
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1 teaspoon ground canela preferably freshly ground in spice grinder, or ½ teaspoon ground U.S. “cinnamon”
  • Sugar to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place rice and canela stick in small saucepan. Add 2 cups boiling water and let soak until water is white and milky. Bring back to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer uncovered until partly softened but not fluffed up, about l0 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and let rice cool.
  • Working in several batches, purée rice mixture in blender or food mill fitted with steel blade. Mixture may be sticky and hard to work with; have ready 5-6 cups cold water and add a little if necessary to thin.
  • With a wooden spoon or pusher, force the mixture through a medium sieve (you can use more of the water to help rinse it through).
  • Combine strained puréed rice with lime juice, ground canela, and 3-4 tablespoons sugar. Add remaining cold water gradually until horchata is the consistency of a not-too-heavy cream soup (use a little more if desired). Taste and add more sugar, lime juice, or cinnamon if desired, but flavor should be delicate and slightly bland.
  • Chill thoroughly or serve with ice.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 23mgPotassium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg
Keyword rice
NOTE: Nutrition values are approximate and for informational purposes only. Values do not include optional or alternate ingredients, nor do they include the nutritional values for any secondary recipes that may be listed in the ingredients.