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Resbaladera
Resbaladera: barley and rice cooked soft and blended with milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, a cold, creamy Guanacaste drink
Resbaladera comes from Guanacaste, the dry, sunny cattle province of northwest Costa Rica, and is sold by the cup at the Fiestas de Santa Cruz in January, at the July celebrations of the Anexión in Liberia, and from carts at rodeos and turnos all through the hot months. Pearl barley and a little rice are cooked with cinnamon and cloves until bursting, then blended with milk and sweetened, giving a cold, slightly thick, creamy drink, smooth and milky like rice pudding in a glass, with warm spice and vanilla. The name hints at how easily it slips down. The common mistake is undercooking the barley: if the grains still have bite, the drink is gritty and thin however long you blend. Cook until they are swollen, split and very soft. It is ready when it is pale cream, completely smooth after straining and tastes of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Barley means it is not gluten free. Chef's tip: chill it properly before serving and stir in a splash of cold milk if it thickens in the fridge overnight; it should pour easily.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For cooking the grains
- 3 ½ oz pearl barley
- 1 ¾ oz long-grain white rice
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 3 cloves
For the drink
- 2 cups cold whole milk
- 4 oz sugaror to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
To serve
- 16 ice cubes (optional)
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)for dusting
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What you'll need
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Rinse the 3 ½ oz pearl barley and 1 ¾ oz long-grain white rice in a sieve until the water runs clear.
3 minStep 2: Put them in a pot with the 6 ¼ cups water, 2 cinnamon sticks and 3 cloves. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently, stirring now and then, until the barley is swollen, split and very soft and the liquid is cloudy.
45 minStep 3: Remove the cinnamon and cloves and leave to cool for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 4: Blend the grains with their cooking liquid and the 2 cups cold whole milk until completely smooth, in batches if necessary.
3 minStep 5: Strain through a fine sieve, pressing well, then stir in the 4 oz sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg until the sugar dissolves.
3 minStep 6: Chill for at least 1 hour. It keeps 2 days in the fridge; stir in a splash of milk if it thickens.
60 minStep 7: Stir and serve over 16 ice cubes with a pinch of ¼ tsp ground cinnamon on top.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does resbaladera take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of long-grain white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon sticks?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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