Making Horchata Smoothie

I have a confession to make.

I have never been to a Mexican food restaurant (or many other authentic ethnic restaurants save for Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Jordanian, Syrian or Indian, for that matter).

There, I’ve said it.

So imagine my delight when I stumbled upon a recipe for a drink called Horchata - a rice milk based drink flavored with sugar and vanilla infused with the fragrances of cinnamon. Obviously I had to add my own spin on it and make it into a smoothie (topped with whipped cream and caramel syrup, just because) because days are blistering hot and they last forever here in the equator.

Do try this because it is pretty simple and you’ll be rewarded with a sweet, creamy drink that pretty much tastes like a bowl of liquid rice pudding that you can feel good about drinking since it’s good for you (look up benefits of rice milk!)

HORCHATA SMOOTHIE:

[ 2/3 cup white rice + 3 cups warm water + 1 2-inch (5cm) cinnamon stick + 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste + 1 1/2 to 2 cups regular milk + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ] OPTIONAL: 4 tablespoon condensed milk, or to taste + whipped cream and caramel syrup to serve.

In a large bowl combine uncooked rice, warm water and cinnamon stick. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, preferrably overnight. Remove from the refrigerator, remove the cinnamon stick, and blend the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed, or until blended as smoothly as possible.

Strain horchata through a sieve or cheesecloth and pour into ice trays and freeze.

Combine rice milk ice cubes with milk, sugar, salt, condensed milk and vanilla extract and blend for 2 minutes, or until mixture is as smooth as possible.

For the amount of sugar and condensed milk, start off by adding the smallest amount and taste after each blitz of the blender. If you feel that it’s lacking, simply add some more and then blitz again after each addition.

Serve immediately topped with whipped cream, caramel syrup and ground cinnamon.

HORCHATA SMOOTHIE:

[ 2/3 cup white rice + 3 cups warm water + 1 2-inch (5cm) cinnamon stick + 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste + 1/2 to 2 cups regular milk + 1/2 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ] OPTIONAL: 4 tablespoon condensed milk, or to taste + whipped cream and caramel syrup to serve.

In a large bowl combine uncooked rice, warm water and cinnamon stick. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours, preferrably overnight. Remove from the refrigerator, remove the cinnamon stick, and blend the mixture for 2 to 3 minutes on high speed, or until blended as smoothly as possible.

Strain horchata through a sieve or cheesecloth and pour into ice trays and freeze.

Combine rice milk ice cubes with milk, sugar, salt, condensed milk and vanilla extract and blend for 2 minutes, or until mixture is as smooth as possible

Serve immediately topped with whipped cream, caramel syrup and ground cinnamon.