We make our own rice milk and oat milk at Dharma Gaia and have found residents and visitors really enjoy it. You can add vanilla, cinnamon and other flavours and by changing the amount of xanthum gum, you can make a creamier or thinner milk for different uses.

Here is our recipe:

RICE MILK

100g (about ½ cup) brown rice

1L water

scant ¼ cup rains

small pinch salt

3-4g xanthum gum (½ tsp) – important not to use too much

1 tbsp coconut oil (can omit if using nuts)

Optional additions:

a little lemon/lime zest

cinnamon

vanilla

add some (raw or roasted) nuts when soaking the rice (roasted nuts will add flavour)

Soak the rice overnight. Soak the raisins separately.

Discard the rice soaking water and rinse the rice.

Blend the soaked rice with a third of the water (hot but not boiling), the salt, oil and the raisins with their soaking water in blender (2 mins high speed) and then add the rest of the water (cold) and the xanthum gum.

Strain through nut milk bag, muslin or fine filter (the bag was way more successful than the muslin – easier and less of a “dusty” flavour to the milk): hang the bag for 10-15 minutes and then squeeze the remaining milk out (with very clean hands) and throw away the solids.

Add the remaining ingredients and additions after the milk has been strained.

OAT MILK

50g (about 1/3 cup) oats

1L water

small pinch salt

3-4g (½ tsp) xanthum gum

scant ½ cup raisins

optional additIons as above

Soak oats overnight. Soak raisins overnight separately. Discard the oat soaking water. Add oats, raisins (with their soaking water), salt, xanthum gum, oil and hot water to blender and blend for 1-2 minutes. Strain as for rice milk (the solids can be used in baking or porridge), then add the other ingredients.