Ingredients
Base
- 150 gdried hibiscus calyces, wonjo
- 2.5 litreswater
Aromatics
- a large bunch of fresh mint
- 50 gfresh ginger, sliced
- 1vanilla pod, split, optional
- a few cloves
To sweeten
- 300 gsugar, or to taste
Optional
- juice of 2 limes
- a splash of pineapple juice
- a little orange blossom water
To serve
- very cold, in plastic bags or bottles
- at naming ceremonies and weddings
Directions
- Rinse the dried wonjo in cold water and pick out any stalks or grit. Rinse them properly, since they are dried in the open and there is usually some debris.
- Bring the water to a boil with the ginger and cloves and simmer them for 10 minutes. Now take the pan off the heat before the hibiscus goes in.
- Add the wonjo to the hot water off the heat, cover it, and let it steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the fresh mint for the last 10 minutes only, off the heat. Use a large bunch rather than a few sprigs.
- Press them lightly rather than wringing them out, for the same reason as above. Now sweeten it while it is still warm.
- Add the sugar and stir until dissolved, tasting as you go. Sugar dissolves properly in warm liquid and sinks to the bottom in cold, so do it now.
- Add lime juice if you want it sharper, or a splash of pineapple juice, which is common. It must be served genuinely cold, and it improves after a night in the fridge as the ginger and mint settle.
- Serve it very cold over ice, in glasses or bottles. It is also drunk at weddings, at Koriteh and Tobaski, and simply as a cold drink in the heat.
Technique
- Wonjo is the Mandinka name and bissap the Wolof one for the same plant.
- It is central to naming ceremonies and weddings.
- Frozen wonjo in small bags is sold at street corners.
Substitutions
- Any dried hibiscus, sold in African and Caribbean shops.
- Dried mint if fresh is unavailable, using less.
Variations
- With pineapple juice added.
- With vanilla, which is a refinement.
- Frozen in bags, as sold to children.
History
Dried hibiscus calyces, called wonjo in Mandinka, are boiled with sugar and mint; the crimson drink is served at naming ceremonies and weddings.
Frequently asked questions
What is Wonjo?
Wonjo is a drink from Gambia: sweet crimson hibiscus juice, served chilled. Dried hibiscus calyces, called wonjo in Mandinka, are boiled with sugar and mint; the crimson drink is served at naming ceremonies and weddings.
How long does Wonjo take to make?
Wonjo takes 15 min plus chilling of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2.5 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Wonjo?
Yes, within limits. Any dried hibiscus, sold in African and Caribbean shops. Dried mint if fresh is unavailable, using less.
What is the most important thing to get right in Wonjo?
Add the wonjo to the hot water off the heat, cover it, and let it steep for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the fresh mint for the last 10 minutes only, off the heat. Use a large bunch rather than a few sprigs.
