About the Chufas from Valencia
Horchata is a drink made with a mixture of water, sugar and the hydrated and crushed pulp of Chufas.
The drink is always served very cold. Currently it is made with more or less sugar, or it can be made with no sugar or with sweeteners.
Horchata de Chufa (orxata de xufa in Valencian) is a refreshing drink also consumed as a dessert, originally from Alboraya (Valencia, Spain) made with a mixture of water, sugar and the hydrated and crushed pulp of the tiger nuts, as well as optional ingredients that enhance its flavor, like cinnamon and the skin or peel of a lemon.
The drink is always served very cold. Currently it is made with more or less sugar, or it can also be prepared without it or with sweeteners,
Chufas are the tubers of Cyperus esculentus, a perennial plant, with basal and entire leaves, that reaches about 40 to 50 centimeters in height and that has a rhizomatic root system, in which the Chufas are finally formed.
The cultivation of Chufas in the Valencian region of Horta Nort is protected with the DEnominación de Origen Chufa de Valencia.
Once collected from December to February, the chufas are washed and dried for conservation for approximately two months, finding them for sale when they are already dry. Its most appreciated use is for the elaboration of horchata de chufa, a very typical drink of the city of Valencia.
It is also used as bait to attract game such as deer and especially turkeys.
Having found remains in ancient Egyptian vessels, it is known that this tuber has a cultivation history of at least 4,000 years, being one of the first plants exploited in agriculture. Tigernuts were introduced in Spain by the Arabs during the time they occupied territories in the peninsula, between the years 711 and 1492.
Homemade Horchata de Chufa recipe
How to prepare horchata with an electric mixer
Ingredients for 1 liter of horchata
- 250 gr of tiger nuts
- 1 liter of water
- Sugar: from 80g to 100g
Elaboration
1. Wash the Chufas and soak them for approximately 8 hours
2. Blend the tiger nuts for 1 minute at speed 10 with an electric mixer*
3. Add 1/2 liter of cold water
4. Grind the tiger nuts for 1 minute at speed 10
5. Add 1/2 liter of cold water and the sugar.
6. Mix for 20 seconds at speed 5
7. Sift the mixture through a fine cotton cloth placed in the basket and press very thoroughly until all the horchata is squeezed and strained.
8. Cool the horchata before consumption
Consumption
It is recommended to consume it within 24 hours, keep it in the refrigerator and drink it very cold. Shake very well before drinking it.
In case of not consuming it, it is recommended to beat it and freeze it within 24 hours of its preparation.
Where to buy Chufas (tiger nuts) from Valencia direct from the producer
* Electric mixer with speed regulator, 10 maximum speed, 5 medium speed
