Horchata de Chufa

Ingredients

• 250 gdried chufa tiger nuts — soaked overnight
• 1.5 Lcold water
• 150 ggranulated sugar
• 1cinnamon stick
• 1lemon — peel in wide strips
• as neededice

Method

1. Begin by rinsing 250 g of dried chufa tiger nuts under cold water to remove any dust or impurities. Place them in a large bowl and cover with 1.5 L of cold water. Allow the chufa to soak for at least 12 hours or overnight, until they become plump and soft to the touch.
2. After soaking, drain the chufa nuts and discard the soaking water. Transfer the softened chufa to a blender, adding 1.5 L of fresh cold water. Blend on high speed until the mixture becomes smooth and milky, with no large pieces of nuts remaining.
3. Line a fine mesh strainer with a clean cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Pour the blended chufa mixture through the cheesecloth, gathering the edges and squeezing to extract as much liquid as possible. The liquid should be creamy and smooth, resembling milk.
4. Transfer the strained liquid to a large pitcher. Add 150 g of granulated sugar and a cinnamon stick, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Use a vegetable peeler to remove a few strips of lemon peel, avoiding the bitter white pith, and add them to the pitcher.
5. Cover the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. This resting period allows the cinnamon and lemon to infuse their flavors into the horchata, creating a balanced and aromatic drink.
6. Before serving, taste the horchata and adjust the sweetness if necessary by adding more sugar, stirring until dissolved. If the flavor is too strong, you can dilute it with a bit more cold water.
7. To serve, fill glasses with ice and pour the chilled horchata over the top. Garnish with a small piece of cinnamon stick or a twist of lemon peel if desired. Serve immediately while the horchata is refreshingly cold.