Toasted Brown Rice Horchata

Składniki

1 cinnamon stick

½ cup (100 g) uncooked brown rice, short- or long-grain

1½ cups (210 g) raw almonds, skin-on or blanched

½ cup (120 ml) pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Large pinch of kosher salt

5 cups (750 ml) boiling water

Wskazówki

Put the cinnamon stick, rice, and almonds in a large heavy- bottomed skillet. Set over medium-low heat and cook, moving the ingredients around so they don't burn, until very fragrant, about 8 minutes. The almonds will visibly darken in spots.

Transfer the toasted rice and almonds to a large heatproof bowl and add the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Smash or break up the cinnamon stick into small pieces and add them to the bowl. Pour in the boiling water. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Transfer everything in the bowl to a blender (you may need to do this in two batches, depending on your blender size). Starting slow, blend the mixture until it's as fine as possible. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing to get as much liquid as possible out of the solids. To be sure you get the maximum yield, put the pulp into some cheesecloth and squeeze out any remaining liquid. If the texture of the liquid seems a bit too gritty, strain again or strain through a double layer of cheesecloth.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or vanilla, if needed. Chill the horchata and serve over ice, with a grating of cinnamon if you like. Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Notatki

Toasting the rice deepens the flavor, giving this Mexican- inspired drink a nice edge. Thorough straining is key to a good texture, so bring some attention to that. If you have a nut-milk bag, this is a perfect use for it. —Makes about 1½ quarts (1.5 liters)

Variation

Serve the horchata with a cooled shot of espresso or some cold- brew coffee.