Dairy Free and Vegan Horchata

Preparing the ingredients

1. Wash the rice under cold water 3 - 4 times, until the water runs clear. Then set aside.
2. Since the almonds are already blanched you don't need to prepare them, but if you have almonds with the skin on, blanch the almonds in a pot of boiling water for about 1 - 2 minutes. Then let it cool down slightly, and then pinch the almonds between your fingers to pop them out of their skin. Set aside until needed.

Previous day

1. Transfer the rice, blanched almonds, and cinnamon sticks into a large bowl or jug. The jug from the blender also works.
2. Pour in the 2 cups of hot water and stir. The hot water should completely cover the rice and almonds. Cover and set aside. You can leave it at room temperature, but it can also be stored in the fridge.
3. Let the rice and almonds soak for at least 4 hours, but overnight is better.

Making horchata

1. Next day, blend the soaked rice and almonds along with the soaking liquid in the blender. If you're using ground cinnamon and nutmeg, you can add them at this stage.
2. If needed, add another 1 - 2 cups of water into the blender if it makes it easier to blend. Blend for about 3 minutes or a little more in a high-powered blender. The time will depend on the blender that you're using.
3. Add the sugar and salt and blend further to dissolve the sugar. The horchata might be a little warm, but that's OK. It's important to make sure that the mixture is completely smooth.
4. Pour the horchata through a fine sieve to remove large pieces. I don't usually strain the horchata because it's smooth enough to enjoy without straining. Most of the horchata will also pass through a mesh 100 sieve with a little help.
5. You can use a nut milk bag to get an even smoother drink, but make sure to only pour a little at a time into the nut milk bag as you will need to squeeze the pulp to get as much liquid out as possible. If you choose to use a nut milk bag, bear in mind that this step will be quite time-consuming.
6. Once the horchata is strained, add the remaining water and plant based milk and whisk to combine well. Taste and adjust the sweetness to your preference. I like the horchata to be a little sweet, because it will be served with ice, and will dilute slightly.
7. Refrigerate the horchata in the large container or in storage bottles / jugs until chilled.
8. Shake or stir the horchata before serving as the horchata will separate as it stands. Serve chilled horchata with ice in a serving glass.