Creamy Pistachio Cardamom Horchata & A letter to grads

Insanely rich and creamy.  This is the best creamy pistachio cardamom horchata you’ll ever make.  Spiked with some rum or served on some ice, it’s the perfect summer dessert or drink for parties.

We reached a milestone last week.  My teen graduated from high school!

It is jarring to find out that he is an adult.  A few of our friends’ kids, who we cradled in our arms, are now beautiful grown men and women, graduating high school.  Gone are the days of Wii games and children’s books, and now comes the time where we ask them what they’d like to take to their dorm.  A toaster maybe, or an instant pot.

As much as it is a jolt for parents, it must be even more so for the kids to realize that they will be on their own from now on.

‘Tis the day!  He wakes up with butterflies in his stomach, taking more than normal to clean up for the big day.  Clean shaven, gelled hair, a beautiful blue tie, shiny shoes.  He walks down with a proud and relieved look.  Draped in his polyester white gown and the tasseled hat ready to be tossed into the air…

We sit in the podium, looking at blue and white hats, and rows and rows of kids who look like mini dice.  Not knowing what their future holds for them, but glad that they are here.  Names are being called, and it goes on.  After an hour, we get to hug the proud young man.  Smiles are flying everywhere.

While I’ll never be able to understand what it felt like to sit there and how they felt when they went up the podium, I do know one thing. I’ll pen my thoughts for the new generation.

My dear boy and other high school graduates,

You’ll hear this often.  This is the commencement, a changing point in your life. 

Life started when you flipped for the first time, you thought your life was suddenly upside down.  When you started walking, you learned that there was a faster way to approach things.  One day you were dropped off with strangers, some you liked and some whom you were scared of.  You learned to adjust, making friends with ones you liked.  Like blooming flowers, you were suddenly on your own, working harder than ever, in middle school. You had to juggle drama, speech and debate, math competitions and school work.  Life felt very tough, but fun.  You loved it, you enjoyed.  High school felt like a whole other ball game.  There was so much to think, worry, finish, focus, and stay sane.  You stood tall in situations that made you uncomfortable.  You survived when you were ready to give up. 

So, it’s not your beginning. You began your life’s journey long back.

You cried when your first fish “Matt” left us.  Crying yourself to sleep.  You learned life’s tough lesson.

When you had to share your mom and dad with another human, you were the best.  You carried your brother, loved him like no other.  Caring had taken a new meaning.  You had someone you would show off to your friends. Learning to share and learning to give.  While the little brother would beat you in basketball and boast about it, you learned how to accept his positives and see what you were good at.  The times when your brother takes center stage at your birthday party, you smile like a proud brother.  You learned to love unconditionally.

When your best friend completely stopped any connection with you, you learned when to let go.  When your family had many ups and downs, you supported all of us. When it all felt overwhelming, you shed tears and learned how to step back, and let other people learn to deal with their own issues.

You have learned a lot.

When you struggled, you had your best friend to listen to you, hug you, and love you for who you are.  You believed in miracles. You have made choices, shed tears, laughed loudly.  And turned a tomato red.  You have hiccuped. Your eyes lit up when you thought you fell for someone.  

And so, my prayers and hopes are that you grow more, experience more.  Experience life’s miracles, and also its obnoxious ways of telling you how rude it can be. 

I hope you learn how to make your bed, and get up on time for breakfast.  I hope you don’t forget to eat dinner and wake up at midnight, only to warm some water for ramen.  Hope you take care of your health.  I hope you find good deals on a good futon instead of just deciding to sit on the floor.  When it’s time for a haircut, I hope you go to a barber and get yourself to look decent.  Find a nice girl for yourself :).  I hope you see more and more happiness than loss and sadness.  May you work hard to achieve what you want.  Have goals.  I hope you can finish the book you started.  May you read more, may you learn more.  I hope your obsession for Mariah Carey and Beyonce doesn’t drive your roommates crazy :). Go dance like there’s no tomorrow.  

I’d love for you to travel with your friends.  Bathe in the Iceland waterfalls, stay in an RV, go backpacking.  I hope you travel the world and explore all the different cultures.  I hope you realize that life’s about growing and learning, not only in college. I’d love to see pictures of you in the fields of Thailand, helping the needy in Nepal, hike the mountains of Peru (at least try>>).  

Be kind to your family.  Please call your grandparents.  Try to answer in more than one syllable, please. I hope you stay humble and lovable always. 

Most of all, lock your eyes on your future and never let go of where you came from.  Don’t dare to be ordinary.  And never blame or be hard on yourself.  Forgive, and move on.  

Remember life is a big lesson. You crawled, walked and learned to talk.  That’s huge.  Life is a miracle.  Live it.

Congratulations!!

Be the person you are.  Always.

Like this drink, life is not always what it seems.

One of our favorite cuisines has to be Mexican, and we almost always order Mexican horchata when we go visit the popular joint in Bay Area.  Their horchata is so creamy and almost feels like milk was boiled to get it to that consistency.

I am a little fussy and particular about how my horchata should taste like, particularly with the texture.  I like it creamy and not sandy.  Don’t hate me for saying this, but I don’t prefer cinnamon, and cardamom works great here. This creamy pistachio horchata is smooth, decadent and delicious.

I served this to my hubby, and he could not believe it wasn’t cream based.  He was even more surprised that it was made out of rice.  And my little boy said the same, he said it tasted like the juice of the rasmalai.

Best Creamy Pistachio Cardamom Horchata

Orxata de xufa, popularly known Mexican Horchata , is known by different names in different regions. They make horchata in various regions in different ways.  Some places don’t use rice at all.

This is the version that I’ve made over the years, and I love it.  It’s not something completely new and unique, but the steps I take to get it to a creamy consistency is a little different. I call this my best creamy pistachio cardamom horchata because I’ve tried my share of horchata and this, hands down, is the best.  If you are not a fan of horchata, then you will certainly love this.  And if you love horchata, then you will fall in love with this recipe.

The key to a good creamy pistachio horchata is to soak the rice and pistachios in hot boiling water overnight.  Make sure to remove the peels of the pistachio before grinding.  First grind it alone without water and later add water.

This creamy pistachio horchata is best when served very cold, over ice.  Make this creamy pistachio cardamom horchata and impress your family or guests this summer.

Pistachio Cardamom Horchatta

 

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Prep time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours

 

Insanely rich and creamy pistachio cardamom horchata is perfect for your summer parties. Spike it with some rum or serve it on some ice, perfect summer dessert or drink. Creamy, Milky, yet dairy free Mexican classic drink is made with rice, condensed milk, and served ice cold. It is sweet and refreshing.

Author: Ash

Recipe type: Drink, Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients

• 2 cup of white rice
• ½ cup pistachios
• 5-8 whole cardamom
• ½ cinnamon stick(use either cardamom or cinnamom)
• 1 can or cup dairy free sweetened condensed milk(or regular sweetened condensed milk) or cane sugar or white sugar. Condensed milk gives the best creamy drink.
• 1 Liter of water
• Ice

Instructions

1. Wash the rice and pistachios well with cold water. Drain out all the water. Later add 3 cups of boiling water. Let it stay in room temperature and soak for at least 5 hours to overnight(best creamy results).
2. After it's soaked overnight, take it out from the refrigerator and peel all the pistachio skin.
3. Add another cup of boiling water, break the cinnamon stick in half, add the cardamom and place the water, rice, and cardamom. Keep the water separate and blend only the rice and pistachios with ½ cup of water to a very smooth paste. Puree for 2-3 minutes. Add it to the water that it was soaking it.
4. Pour the liquid through a fine strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth, into a pitcher. Mix well and strain with a fine cheese cloth or a white clean cloth.Squeeze the excess liquid and discard the solids.
5. Stir in the condensed milk. You can add more or less of sweetener. Pour it in a pitcher.
6. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Stir before pouring in glasses and serve over ice.

Notes

This drink stays good in the refrigertor for about 3 days.
You could make popsicles out of this.
1 cup sugar (adjust depending on how sweet you want - ⅔ cup of sugar if you want it less sweet). IF YOU plan on using sugar then leave the condensed milk. You can use Coconut sugar too.

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