Make Your Own Mexican Horchata in Beijing With This Recipe

A while ago I shared my recipe for Chai tea, but another drink that has recently recaptured my attention (although not quite a winter brew) is horchata. My Mexican friend in Houston, Texas introduced me to this drink in college. While I was asking around in the Beijing expat community about culinary delights missed from home, this drink resurfaced.

As usual there is always some debate on how to make this drink and which version is the best. All the ingredients can be found anywhere in Beijing, but don’t be fooled as horchata will warm your soul like you are on an unpolluted beach.

Horchata comes from Valencia in Spain, where orxata was made from ordi (barley). Although nowadays in Spain horchata is not made with barley but with tiger nuts, water, and sugar instead. Variations can be made with nuts, rice, seeds, herbs, ground almonds, and lime zest, and the drink is served over ice.

Horchata de Arroz (rice) is by far my favorite variety, one of which I have fond memories. These are the ingredients and instructions you'll need to make it yourself.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of rice
  • Half a cup raw of almonds
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon of lime zest
  • 6 cups of water
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla

Instructions:

  1. Pulverize the raw rice in a blender.
  2. Combine the rice powder with almonds, cinnamon, and lime zest in a bowl and cover with half the water.
  3. Let stand overnight.
  4. The next day blend the mixture in a blender until smooth.
  5. Combine the mixture with 3 cups of water and blend again.
  6. Strain with cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel.
  7. Add vanilla and sugar to taste.
  8. Serve over ice!

This article first appeared on our sister website beijingkids.

Images: noshonit.com, the cocktail project