Free recipe from the book
Zobo
Spiced hibiscus drink
Deep ruby hibiscus steeped with ginger, cloves and pineapple. It's tangy, refreshing and naturally caffeine-free. Dried hibiscus is sold as a tea in Europe, so it's easy to find.
Ingredients
- 60 g dried hibiscus petals (zobo leaves)
- 3 litres water
- Peel and core of 1 pineapple (or 500 ml pineapple juice)
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced
- 6–8 cloves
- Sugar, honey or pineapple juice to sweeten
- Optional: orange slices, mint, cucumber
Germany & EU
- Hibiscus: 'Hibiskusblüten' in tea shops, organic shops, Turkish and Afro shops. Loose petals are cheaper than tea bags.
United Kingdom
- Dried hibiscus is sold as 'sorrel' in Caribbean aisles, or as hibiscus flowers in health food shops.
Method
- Rinse the hibiscus quickly in a sieve.
- Put the hibiscus, pineapple peel, ginger and cloves in a pot with the water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20–25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave to steep until cool.
- Strain through a fine sieve. Sweeten to taste (pineapple juice gives natural sweetness).
- Chill and serve over ice with orange slices or mint.
SFA tip
Freeze zobo in ice-cube trays so your drink doesn't get watered down.
Storage: Fridge 4–5 days · freezer 3 months.