Name: Morelos Rice Horchata Recipe
Total time: 10 min
Yield: Makes 7 cups
Ingredients: 4 cups short-grain white rice from Morelos, or jasmine rice; 2 sticks canela (Mexican cinnamon); ⅔ cup grated or finely chopped piloncillo (4 ounces) or packed dark brown sugar, or honey, plus more to taste; 8 cups filtered water; ½ teaspoon sea salt

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By Ben Mims

Aug. 14, 2019

This recipe is inspired by the fragrant short-grain rice from Morelos, Mexico. Starting from that ingredient, I only add the essentials: filtered water, canela and piloncillo (although, if you want an even more floral horchata, use honey from the Yucatán). A pinch of sea salt brings out more of the rice’s aroma, as well. This recipe is meant to serve as a basic, universal recipe from which you can spin off your own tastes.

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4 cups short-grain white rice from Morelos, or jasmine rice

2 sticks canela (Mexican cinnamon)

⅔ cup grated or finely chopped piloncillo (4 ounces) or packed dark brown sugar, or honey, plus more to taste

8 cups filtered water

½ teaspoon sea salt

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree on high for 30 seconds to break up the rice.

Turn off the blender and refrigerate the mixture in the blender overnight, or at least 8 hours.

When ready to serve, re-blend the mixture.

Pour it through a fine mesh strainer then pour it through a layer of cheesecloth to remove any remaining sediment.

Taste and add more sugar, if you like. Serve the horchata over ice.

Variations:

Macadamia/cashew/almond: Replace 2 cups of the rice with 2 cups unsalted macadamia nuts, cashews, or blanched almonds. L.A.-style: Replace 4 cups of the water with 4 cups canned evaporated milk. Spanish-style: Replace the rice with 4 cups tigernuts (you can purchase them online).

Ben Mims

Ben Mims is a former cooking columnist for the Los Angeles Times. He has written three cookbooks and has worked as a food editor and recipe developer for several food media publications, such as Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Saveur, Food Network and Buzzfeed/Tasty.