Arabic recipesDrinks
Karkade Recipe: How to Make Hot and Iced Arabic Hibiscus Tea
Karkade is the ruby-red infusion of dried hibiscus calyces enjoyed across Egypt, Sudan and the Levant, served either steaming hot on chilly evenings or over ice at Ramadan iftar. Cold-steeping the rinsed petals in the fridge or infusing them briefly off the boil preserves a clean, tart cranberry-like flavour without bitterness.
Also known as:Iced hibiscus drinkEgyptian karkadehHot hibiscus flower tea
Servings6
Prep time5 min
Cook time10 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 50 g (about 1 loosely packed cup) whole dried hibiscus calyces (karkade)
- 1.2 litres cold water for cold-steeping (or 1.2 litres boiling water for hot tea)
- 100 to 130 g caster sugar, adjusted to balance the natural tartness
- 1 tsp Damascene rose water or orange blossom water (optional for iced karkade)
- Ice cubes, lemon slices or fresh mint sprigs to serve
Preparation Steps
- 1Place the dried hibiscus blossoms in a sieve and give them a 2-second rinse under cold running water to wash away any field dust without losing their deep pigment.
- 2For smooth iced karkade (cold-steep method): Tip the rinsed blossoms into a glass pitcher, pour in 1.2 litres of cold water, cover and chill in the fridge for 5 to 8 hours until intensely crimson.
- 3For hot karkade or a quick pitcher: Pour freshly boiled water over the blossoms off the heat and steep covered for just 10 minutes rather than boiling vigorously on the stove.
- 4Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing the petals lightly, and stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.
- 5Serve steaming hot in tea glasses, or perfume the chilled infusion with a splash of rose water and pour over plenty of ice with fresh mint.
