If you’ve heard of horchata before, but you haven’t been to Ecuador, then you are probably familiar with the Spanish version, an almond rice drink or the Mexican variety, also made from rice. In Ecuador, horchata is a very different drink – think bright pink red vs the Spanish or Mexican white horchata. In Ecuador, horchata is actually an herbal tea drink made from a mix of herbs and flowers; it is a typical drink from the province of Loja. It is very common to find horchata stands in the morning selling tall glasses of this warm sweet drink, it is also served as a cold drink with lunch or other meals. The herbs and flowers that are part of this drink include some better known herbs such as chamomile, mint, lemon verbena, lemon grass, and lemon balm.
Horchata lojana is a tea type drink made from a variety of herbs and flowers including escancel or bloodleaf, lemon verbena, lemon grass, mint, chamomile, lemon balm, rose geranium, among others.
Ingredients
- 8 cups of water
- 8 tbs of horchata dried herb mix, ground
- Juice from 2-3 lemons
- Sugar or honey to taste
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil and remove from heat.
- Add the horchata herb mix to the hot water and let brew for 5 minutes, the herb sediments will drop to the bottom of the pot,
- Strain the horchata mix, add the lemon juice and sweeten to tastes.
- Serve warm or cold.
Some of the flowers that are included in this tea are rose geranium, small roses, violets, begonias, carnations, fuschias and malva olorosa/malva blanca – which are flowers from the mallow family. The horchata herb mix also includes some lesser known and harder to find herbs which include cola de caballo or horse tail –also known as shave grass-, llanten or plantain plant (not to be confused with plantain bananas), borraja or borge, linaza or flax, a red leafed herb called escancel, in English it is known as bloodleaf, this herb gives the drink its red pinkish color. Another plant used in this tea is called ataco or red amaranth, this one also contributes to the color of the drink. There are a few other plants that are used, however these seem only grow in Ecuador and, at least according to my mom, don’t have known names in English, in Spanish they are called pimpinela, shullo, and cucharillo.
When you buy a glass of this drink at the stands in Loja, you also have the option of having them add liquid extract of savila or aloe vera, think of it as a super power boost for the horchata; I’ve always passed on it as I don’t like the idea of adding something slimy to my drink.
There aren’t exact proportions around how much of each herb or flower is used in the tea, it’s just a little bit of everything, and the herbs can be fresh or dried, or a combination. Growing up in Ecuador we had many of these growing in the backyard, if any were missing we would use dry ones; however now it is very common to find packets of horchata mix already dried and ready to mix with boiling water. I even found individual tea packets last time I was there.
I always stock up on horchata mix whenever I visit Ecuador, if you are interested in making it from scratch in the US you can easily find the first batch of herbs and some of the flowers, however escancel or bloodleaf is impossible to find so it will likely lack the color, however most of the flavor comes from the lemon verbena, lemon grass, mint, chamomile, lemon balm and rose geranium – so even a tea made from the mix of these will have a wonderful taste.
Step by step preparation photos for Ecuadorian horchata herbal tea drink
Hi Layla, where can buy (on-line) the Horchata herb mix (picture above in the yellow package). I cannot read the brand on the picture. I live in Canada. Thank you kindly
The one in the photos I brought from Ecuador. I sometimes find it on Amazon, the most recent one I bought last summer was a Mama Tere brand (I think they are sold out now), and I’ve also seen ILE brand (but their shipping cost is way too high). Zocalo Foods is another online retailer that sells horchata. If you live closer to the East coast you can find it at Acme grocery stores – and Latin grocery stores in NY/NJ tend to sell more Ecuadorian products so they might also have it.
Thank u very much for this recipe!
I was suddenly interested in horshatas this night. At first i found some russian modifications (i’m from russia =)), then i found horshatas’re much more.. foreign and international and different, then i’ve suggested… So i was very happy to find this special authentic recipe with – oh, my God! – a list of all herbs it consist of! (yeah, herbs is my another hobby)
Very intresting although some of them are ecuadorian-only!
I have the same question as Ivi, where can I buy the horchata lojana in Los Angeles?
I would really like to taste this mix herval tea. Where can I buy the Horchata Lojana in Los Angeles CA?
Cold Horchata has became my preferred Summer drink and its great Hot when you want to relax and enjoy as a cup of tea.
So I was a Mormon missionary in Loja fifteen years ago and I loved horchata. I got home and ordered some from a Mexican restaurant, not realizing at all that the two drinks were not equivalent. Big disappointment. I even questioned my memory, wondering if that pink drink I had was really called horchata after all. I’m glad to see this recipe!
I just love your blog. Have been sitting around the house reading and catching up to answering e-mails and commenting. It’s 4 AM in New York I amd healing from a broken elbow. I just read through many of your posts and I cannot wait to try your recipes, especially your platanos recipes.
Please e-mail me and let me know if I can copy your recipes and give you credit, of course. So excited to make the bolones and the empanadas. I make a sweet plantain empanada and would like to do both on one post.
Saludos y gracias!
Norma
Hi Norma