By Ratna
If you’ve read my last post you know I am still trying to adjust from a beautiful plus 21 C to an awe fully cold minus 21 C.
Horchata is a very Spanish drink that we enjoyed in my recent trip there. It was sweet with a nutty flavour.
Chufa is also known as Tiger nuts. It really isn’t a nut in the strictest sense, for it is a tuber that grows under ground attached to the roots of Cyperus esculentus.
I have learnt that these nuts act as diuretic, high in fibre, iron, potassium and vitamin E. You can find small stalls like ice cream stalls selling Horchatas. I think they are called Horchaterias.
In a hot summer day it could be really refreshing to take a sip of cold Horchata. This drink is usually served with a farton. A long pastry with a bit of icing on top.
The weather here is far from summer. Having said that the days are slowly getting longer. The sky is not as dark these days on my way to work. That itself is a matter of great joy. We live with hope. Don’t we?
I bought these nuts from Mercado Central, a very big Farmer’s market in Spain. I have been told it is available online from amazon.com
This recipe is not exactly what I tried there.
I put some Indian flavours in this traditional Spanish drink.
Recipe:
Ingredients;
Tiger nuts 1 cup
Water 4 cups ( approx )
Sugar To taste
Rose water 1 Tsp
Rose petals 1 tsp
Method;
Wash the nuts carefully with water and then soak them in water for about 14 hours.
Grind them in a mixer with little water into a soft paste. Strain the liquid through a cheese cloth. Discard the solids. Add water to bring it to a milk like consistency. You can adjust the amount of water to suit your liking.
Add sugar to your taste. I added rose water too for some nice fragrance. Garnish with rose petals. Refrigerate and enjoy the chilled drink.
Inside scoop;
Rose water is available in Indian grocery store. A little goes a long way.