Horchata de Chufa
A cool, milky Valencian drink pressed from tiger nuts, tasting of almond, cinnamon and something faintly earthy and sweet. Served ice-cold and often semi-frozen, it is the classic summer refreshment of l'Horta, dunked with long soft fartons.
Approximate, per 1 glass (~250ml). Values vary by recipe and portion.
Ingredients
- ·250 g dried chufa (tiger nuts)
- ·1 litre cold water, plus more for soaking
- ·120 g sugar, to taste
- ·1 strip of lemon peel
- ·A small piece of cinnamon stick, or a pinch of ground cinnamon
Method
- 1
Rinse the tiger nuts well, then soak them in plenty of cold water for at least 12 hours, or up to 24, so they plump and soften.
- 2
Drain and rinse them again thoroughly, picking out any grit, as tiger nuts grow underground.
- 3
Blend the tiger nuts with the litre of cold water in batches until you have a coarse, milky pulp; a powerful blender gives the smoothest result.
- 4
Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes to develop flavour, then strain it firmly through a fine cloth or nut-milk bag, squeezing hard to extract all the liquid.
- 5
Stir the sugar into the strained liquid with the lemon peel and cinnamon until fully dissolved, then taste and adjust the sweetness.
- 6
Chill for at least 2 hours until very cold. For a semi-frozen texture, part-freeze it and break up the crystals with a fork before serving.
- 7
Serve in tall glasses, stirring first as it naturally separates, and pair with fartons or a soft sweet bun.