Horchata water, everything you need to know about this refreshing drink

how to make horchata water with raw rice

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Hello my dear friends of Paulina Kitchen! In this new installment I want to invite you to prepare a delicious and creamy horchata water , a traditional drink of Mexico that is prepared with rice, sugar and cinnamon.

With a taste similar to the rice with milk, but drinkable, this agüita super refreshing has earned a place in the heart of Mexicans, who daily enjoy a drink of a delicious horchata to alleviate the warmest days. 

What do you think if you spend all the secrets and share a recipe to do it at home?

What is Horchata water and how

Horchata water is a traditional Mexican drink that prepares with rice, cinnamon and sugar . Its sweet, creamy and refreshing taste make it an ideal option for warm days. Very chosen to accompany spicy food dishes or simply to drink on a summer afternoon.

For horchata water the rice is soaked with the cinnamon in water for several hours, then it sneaks, mixes with the sugar and allowed to cool.

It is not a quick preparation, but it is worth taking the time to do it, because its flavor does not compare with that of commercial versions. You can also prepare a jug and have in the refrigerator to take at any time. 

The ingredients that cannot be missing

Traditional horchata water carries rice, cinnamon, sugar and water. In addition, depending on the recipe and the region, it can include other ingredients such as almonds, milk, vanilla or lemon. Keep in mind that the sugar and rice starch make it an elevated carbohydrate drink, so people who have restrictions for sugar consumption must take it into account.

The best rice to prepare horchata water is that of long grain or jasmine rice Both types have a soft and sweet flavor that go very well with the horchata. Its soft texture allows you to easily get rid of the water, to obtain a more creamy and digestible horchata.

It is important to remember that rice has to be soaked several hours before being used to make the horchata.

Horchata water is done with raw rice . While there are versions that can be made with cooked rice, it is not the most common for this preparation. In the cooked rice version it is also mixed with water, cinnamon and sugar and then liquefies and filters to obtain the horchata.

Both versions are tasty, and their choice is at ease from who prepares it, but most traditional recipes are used raw rice.

how to make horchata water with raw rice

Horchata water origin 

There are different versions about how Horcata water evolved until the refreshing drink we know today is.

Its origins, such as those of many foods and food from Latin America, trace to the colonial era , but similar drinks existed long before in the Iberian Peninsula. It is said that in its origins, during the medieval era, the horchata was made with barley, a cereal that was already grown in ancient times, especially in the region of the Iberian Peninsula.

Hence its name: the word "Horcata" comes from the Latin "Hordeta" , which refers to a beverage made of barley.

With the arrival of rice in Spain, the drink began to include this ingredient. During the colonial era, the Spaniards took the horchata to Mexico , where it was adapted with local ingredients. The preparation became popular in the country and became a typical drink of Mexican cuisine.

The drink was popular in other Latin American countries, such as El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Peru, but also from Europe, such as in Spain, France, Italy and Portugal. However, the ingredients in each region vary. In some places milk is used instead of water, almonds instead of rice, or fruits such as watermelon or melon are added to give it a different flavor.

If you arrived here, you like to cook and you are also curious ... you can not miss this post of 10 recipes of non -unmissable Mexican food !!

What does "pure horchata water" mean? 

"Horchata water" is a phrase that is usually used to refer to something authentic, genuine, without mixtures or adulteration

In relation to Horchata water, it means that the drink is made with traditional ingredients, without aggregates or artificial flavors. 

What other ingredients can carry horchata water? 

In addition to the basic ingredients of the horchata such as rice, cinnamon, sugar and water, there are some regional and personal variations of the drink that can include other ingredients such as:

  • Almonds : Some recipes include almonds to give a different taste and texture.
  • Milk : It can be used instead of water to make a creamy horchata.
  • Vanilla : It can be added to give an additional and complementary flavor to cinnamon.
  • Lemon : Some people add lemon juice or lemon peel to give a touch of acidity and freshness.
  • Nutzed : In some recipes, nutmeg is added to the mixture to give it a spicy touch.
  • Coco : Some variations include coconut milk or coconut zest to give it a tropical and exotic style.

Horchata water recipe with rice

  • Yields: 6-8 glasses
  • Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus the rice soaking time: minimum 4 hours)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of fine white rice
  • 8 cups of water
  • 1 cinnamon branch
  • 1 cup of sugar (according to the taste of who consumes it, it can be more or less)
  • Ice

How to make horchata water with step by step

  1. Rinse the rice with cold water to extract the starch and place it in a large container.
  2. Add 4 cups of water and the cinnamon branch. Leave for a minimum of 4 hours or all night.
  3. After soaking the cinnamon branch and pour the rice with the water in the blender. 
  4. Add the other 4 cups of water and blend until the rice is completely ground and the mixture feels soft.
  5. Strain the rice mixture with a fine mesh strainer on a jug, squeezing with your hands to remove all the liquid.
  6. Add the sugar and stir well. Try to verify the sweetness. 
  7. Cool a few hours before consuming. Serve with a little ice. 

Tip: You can add some droplets of vanilla extract and a little ground cinnamon over the time of serving. It is delicious!

how to prepare horchata water

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