Ingredients
Infusion
- 50 gdried hibiscus calyces
- 1.5 litreswater
- 150 gsugar, to taste
Optional
- 1cinnamon stick
- 4cloves
- 1strip lemon peel
- mint
To serve
- ice, for the cold version
Directions
- Rinse the dried hibiscus once in cold water to take off the dust, and pick out any stalks. For the hot version, bring the water to the boil, take it off the heat, add the hibiscus, and steep it covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Strain it through a fine sieve, pressing the calyces lightly.
- Stir in the sugar while the liquid is still warm so it dissolves completely. Hibiscus is aggressively sour and an under-sweetened karkade tastes thin and medicinal.
- Taste and adjust, then chill or serve hot in small glasses. It should be a deep, clear, jewel red.
- Serve cold over ice with mint in summer, or hot in winter.
Technique
- It stains everything it touches, permanently, including hands and worktops.
- The dried calyces are the fleshy part of the flower rather than the petals.
- Sudanese karkade is usually made by cold steeping and is often drunk unsweetened.
Substitutions
- Hibiscus tea bags, using about six for this quantity.
- Honey in place of sugar, added once cooled.
Variations
- With cinnamon and cloves, for the winter version.
- Sudanese style, cold-steeped and barely sweetened.
- With ginger, which is common in Sudan.
History
Hibiscus calyces grown in Upper Egypt and Sudan are dried and steeped; karkade is served hot in winter, iced in summer and offered to guests.
Frequently asked questions
What is Karkade?
Karkade is a drink from Egypt: deep-red hibiscus infusion, drunk sweet, hot or iced. Hibiscus calyces grown in Upper Egypt and Sudan are dried and steeped; karkade is served hot in winter, iced in summer and offered to guests.
How long does Karkade take to make?
Karkade takes 5 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1.5 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Karkade?
Yes, within limits. Hibiscus tea bags, using about six for this quantity. Honey in place of sugar, added once cooled.
What is the most important thing to get right in Karkade?
The dried calyces are the fleshy part of the flower rather than the petals.
