A Horchata is a thick beverage made in Spain and Mexico.
It may be thickened with ground rice, almonds, or tigernuts (aka chufas.) It is more likely to be rice-based in Mexico; tigernut based in Spain.
It may be flavoured with cantaloupe seeds, chocolate, cinnamon, coconut, fruit or vanilla.
Alboraia in Valencia, Spain prides itself on the quality of its Horchatas.
You can buy concentrated Horchata mix in bottles, that you add water or milk to to make a drink.
Horchata is called “Orxata” in Valencian, and was originally made with barley, as was the Italian “Orzata” (aka Orgéat in French.)
Cooking Tips
Soak uncooked rice overnight in water with a cinnamon stick.
Discard cinnamon stick; whiz rice and water in blender with evaporated milk.
Strain through a sieve.
Sweeten with sugar or honey and flavour to taste, thin with some skim milk.
Serve chilled or at room temperature, sprinkled with cinnamon.
Language Notes
“Horchata” comes from the Latin word for barley, “hordeum”, showing Horchata’s original ingredient before rice.