July 17, 2013

Chai Horchata

Chai Horchata

My friend Phoebe inspired me last month. We share a mutual take-it-or-leave-it attitude to the amazingly popular smoothie trend. Sometimes I make them, most of the time I don’t. But last month Phoebz made an inspired smoothie using my favorite breakfast drink: chai tea! Genius! I decided to take a page out of her book and make one of my favorite summer drinks, a cool silky horchata, with some warm and nutty chai spices.

I don’t usually treat myself to starchy rice drinks in the morning, but a horchata seemed to be a great idea in the midst of the heat wave. It was chilly, filling, and a touch sweet – the perfect cool start to a busy summer morning. To make the horchata I followed the most common technique for making it and soaked the rice overnight before blending the drink the following morning. Instead of just adding cinnamon I also added a touch of vanilla, some nutmeg, and a pinch of cardamom to give it a chai-like flavor. It was the perfect icy drink to start off the hot morning, and I think it is just the beginning of my chai horchata mornings.

Recipe

 Chai Horchata

Ingredients

2/3 cups long grain white rice
3 cups warm water for soaking
1 2-inch cinnamon stick
¾ cup granulated sugar or honey (I liked the honey, but the sugar is morning traditional)
2 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch cardamom

Instructions

1. Place the dry rice in a food processor or blender and grind it until it the consistency of corn meal. Then transfer it to a bowl with the warm water, add the cinnamon stick, and let the rice soak overnight.

2. The next morning (or at least 8 hours later), remove the cinnamon stick and puree the mixture until it is perfectly smooth. Then strain it into a bowl through a fine mesh strained lined with cheesecloth. Press the rice down to get as much of the liquid out as possible.

3. Stir in the sugar (or honey), milk, vanilla, nutmeg, and cardamom until the sugar is dissolved. Pour into two tall glasses and serve.

Naptime Notes

Naptime Recipe Serving ideas

This drink also tastes great over ice!

Naptime Stopwatch

8 hours prep time (including soaking), 10 minutes finishing time

Naptime Reviews

This might be my new favorite icy start to summer mornings!

More Naptime Recipes

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5 Responses to “Chai Horchata”

  1. Laura says:
    July 18, 2013 at 10:01 pm

    I would love to wake up to a drink like this! Such a great and refreshing idea!

  2. rachid zidane says:
    July 27, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    Good

  3. denise mac says:
    September 2, 2013 at 3:27 pm

    this sounds easy and delish. I’ve made Horchata the original Latino way…very similar. I have a question….just popped into my head as I’m typing. I have a box of middle eastern cardomon tea bags. I could use that for my cardoon pinch, couldn’t I??