Moonlit Grain

01

What you’ll need

• 1/2 cup (90 g) uncooked jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons hulled white sesame seeds
• 2 cups (480 ml) cold filtered water
• 1 ripe Bartlett pear (about 180 g), cored and chopped, plus 1/2 small pear for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon alcohol-free pure vanilla powder
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) unsweetened vegan oat milk, well chilled
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, for garnish

02

Mix the drink

1. Set a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the drained rice and toast for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until the grains are dry and smell nutty but remain pale gold.
2. Add the white sesame seeds and toast for 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl and cool completely.
3. Combine the toasted rice and sesame with the filtered water, chopped pear, cinnamon, vanilla powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
4. Pour the entire soaked mixture into a high-speed blender and blend for 90 seconds, until the rice and pear are very finely broken down.
5. Strain through a nut-milk bag or two layers of damp cheesecloth into a clean pitcher, pressing gently but stopping before fine sediment is forced through.
6. Whisk in the cold oat milk, maple syrup and lemon juice. Taste and add up to 1 extra teaspoon maple syrup only if the pear is not very ripe.
7. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Stir thoroughly just before pouring because a little natural settling is expected.