Real Horchata

REAL horchata is obtained by crushing chufas, leaving them in water and sugar for about 24 hours and straining the mixture.

Chufas, cyperaceae cyperus esculentus as they go by their scientific name, are a chick-pea sized tuberous roots of a sedge-like African plant, with a brown skin and white flesh that I have never seen in any other places than in Spanish or Mexican markets.

Rice or almond horchatas are only variants, and not even half as good as the horchata de chufas.

From: Mathieu Wehrung in rec.food.cooking on Jul 24, 1996.