Thunderclap Horchata
Horchata is traditionally made by soaking rice in water and blending with cinnamon and sugar. When the rice itself carries 5,000 SHU, the finished drink has a lingering warmth that makes cinnamon's warmth feel like its natural extension.
Prep
10 min
Cook
4 hr soak
Total
4 hr 15 min
Servings
6
Peak SHU
5K
Featured Organisms
Ingredients
- 1 cup Warring States rice (SS-RIC-02)
- 5 cups water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- 1
Rinse rice and soak with cinnamon stick in 3 cups water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- 2
Blend rice, soaking water, and cinnamon until very smooth (2 minutes on high).
- 3
Strain through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh nut milk bag.
- 4
Add remaining 2 cups water, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir until dissolved.
- 5
Chill thoroughly. Serve over ice.
Tips
- Dynasty's Fall rice (50K SHU) for a fiery horchata.
- Splash of rum turns this into a cocktail.
Rice starch gelatinizes partially during the long soak, creating the characteristic creamy texture. Capsaicinoids in the Warring States rice are heat-stable and lipophilic — they bind to the starch granules during soaking and release slowly as you drink.