Description:

Sweet Creamy and Delicious Mexican Drink, served cold is very refreshing and DAIRY free.

Source:

Arizona Tart via Gourmet Sleuth Dot Com

Serves/Makes:6 or more

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp (90 ml) rice
• 6 oz (168 grm). (about 1 1/4 cups) blanched almonds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick (canella)
• 3 "2-inch" strips of lime zest (rind only, not the white pithy part) 3/4" long
• 1 cup (225 ml) white granulated sugar

Preparation

• Pulverize the rice using a metate y mano or your blender. Grind the mixture as smooth as possible.
• Combine the rice with the almonds, cinnamon and lime zest. Let this mixture stand overnight (minimally 6 hours).
• Place the mixture in the blender jar and blend for at least 3 - 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and no long has a gritty texture.
• Add 2 cups (475 ml) of water and blend again for just a few seconds.
• Place a large sieve over a mixing bowl. Line the sieve with 3 layers of damp cheesecloth.
• Pour in the rice mixture, a little at a time and keep stirring to help the mixture go through the sieve.
• Once all the liquid has passed through to the bowl gather the cloth together at the top, give it a twist and squeeze out any additional liquid.
• Now add more 2 cups (475 ml) of water and stir in as much sugar as you'd like, to taste. If the mixture is too thick, add some additional water.
• Cover and refergate. The drink should keep several days, refrigerated.
• Serve in a tall glass over ice.

Comments

Mexican Horchata is a refreshing cold drink made of rice, almonds, cinnamon (canella), lime zest and sugar. This drink is rumored to be a cure for a hangover and is frequently served at breakfast time. Even though the drink has a milky appearance it is completely dairy-free.

Taken from the internet at http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/horchata.htm

Horchata was one of my children's favorite drinks when they were young. In Arizona, and I suspect other areas closer to Mexico, you can buy it near the refridgerated juice section in the dairy cases. It generally comes in big plastic round gallon jugs. My kids especially liked the strawberry flavored Horchata.