Karkadeh
Egyptian Hibiscus Tea, Hot or Chilled
Karkadeh is a tart ruby-red infusion of dried hibiscus flowers, sweetened and drunk hot or over ice.
The recipe boils the flowers with sweetener for 3 minutes, steeps them covered for 20 to 30 minutes, strains, stirs in lime juice and chills.
Ingredients
For the tea
- 1.4 litres filtered water
- About 30 g dried hibiscus flowers
- 50 to 100 g sugar, or agave or honey
- 2 large limes (1 juiced, 1 cut into wheels)
- Fresh mint sprigs, to serve
Method
- Boil Bring the water to the boil in a medium pan, stir in the hibiscus and sweetener and boil for 3 minutes.
- Steep Turn off the heat, cover and leave to steep for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Strain Pour through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug, discard the flowers and stir in the lime juice.
- Adjust Cool completely, taste and dilute with water and sweetener if too strong or bitter.
- Chill Refrigerate for several hours and serve over ice with lime wheels and mint.
Food safety
Hot liquid scalds. Keep in the fridge and use within a week, as the source says.
Dilute if too strong.