Horchata (Mexican Rice & Cinnamon Drink)

Ingredients

For 6 portions

• 🍚 200g rice (dry)
• 🌿 2 sticks cinnamon
• 🥤 1,200ml tap water
• 🍚 80g sugar
• 🥄 1 Tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water for 30 seconds and drain.
2. Put the rice in a large bowl or jar. Break the cinnamon sticks into pieces and add them. Pour over 600 ml of warm (not boiling) water.
3. Cover and leave to soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or overnight. The rice will soften and the water will turn cloudy.
4. Tip the rice, cinnamon and all the soaking water into a blender. Blend on high for 2–3 minutes until it's as smooth as possible – you should feel almost no grit when you rub a drop between your fingers.
5. Set a fine sieve over a jug and line it with muslin, a clean thin tea towel or a nut-milk bag. Pour the mixture through, then gather up the cloth and squeeze firmly to get all the liquid out. Throw away the pulp (or stir it into porridge).
6. Add the remaining 600 ml cold water, the sugar and the vanilla to the jug. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if you like it sweeter.
7. Chill for at least 1 hour.
8. Stir well before serving, because it settles. Pour over plenty of ice and dust with a pinch of ground cinnamon.
9. Keeps for 3 days in a sealed bottle in the fridge – shake before pouring.
10. Note: most of the rice is strained out, so each glass has fewer calories than the nutrition panel shows.