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Taiwanese peanut rice milk
Mǐ jiāng (米漿): a warm, creamy breakfast drink of toasted rice and roasted peanuts
Beside the steel urns of soy milk at a Taiwanese breakfast shop stands a second urn of something beige, thicker and nuttier, and regulars know exactly what goes with it: a fat sticky-rice roll, fan tuan, eaten on the way to the MRT. Rice is toasted, blended with roasted peanuts and water, then simmered into a smooth, lightly sweet drink with a nutty, almost popcorn aroma, served hot in winter and chilled in summer. It's naturally dairy-free and very filling. Walking away from the pot is the usual mistake, because the starch settles and scorches in a minute, giving the whole batch a burnt taste. Chef's tip: toast the raw rice in a dry pan until it's golden; that step gives the drink its unmistakable breakfast-shop flavour.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ oz long-grain white rice
- 2 ⅞ oz roasted unsalted peanutsskins rubbed off
- 1 ¼ cups hot waterfor soaking
- 1 litre water
- 2 ⅛ oz brown or white sugarto taste
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Toast 1 ¾ oz long-grain white rice in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat for 5–6 minutes, shaking often, until the grains are evenly golden and smell like popcorn.
6 minStep 2: Tip the rice into a bowl with 2 ⅞ oz roasted unsalted peanuts, pour over 1 ¼ cups hot water and soak for 15 minutes to soften.
15 minStep 3: Pour the rice, peanuts and soaking water into a blender with half the 0.5 litre water and blend on high for 2 minutes, until completely smooth.
2 minStep 4: For a silkier drink, strain it through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pressing the pulp; for the thicker shop style, pour it straight in. Add the rest of the 0.5 litre water.
Step 5: Bring to a simmer over a medium heat, stirring the bottom constantly with a flat spatula. Once it bubbles, lower the heat and cook for 10–12 minutes, still stirring, until it thickens to the consistency of single cream and no longer tastes raw.
15 minStep 6: Stir in 2 ⅛ oz brown or white sugar and 1 pinch salt until dissolved, taste and adjust the sweetness. Serve hot, or cool and chill; it thickens in the fridge, so thin with water before serving.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does taiwanese peanut rice milk take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of brown or white sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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