Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Dried Roselle Iced Tea
A quick google search (oh what would I do without the search engines) revealed that these are actually a variety of hibiscus that is native to India and Malaysia - Hibiscus Sabdariffa or ambadi or gongura or red sorrel!
(Madhumati and Mangocheeks, you were absolutely spot on!)
What you see in the picture is actually the calyx that has been dried. The calyces, either fresh or dried, are used extensively in jams, marmalades, relishes, salads,juices and herbal tea. In fact, across many cultures and countries, roselle tea is believed to have anti-oxidant, diuretic and hypotensive properties.
Given the cooling effect it has on the body, in the sweltering Singapore heat, a tall glass of chilled roselle iced tea seemed just THE thing to have.
Dried Roselle Iced Tea:
Not much of a recipe here, but this is what I did:
Boil water and pour it over the dried roselle - for 3 glasses, I used about 16 nos of dried roselle.
Steep for a few minutes or until the water turns bright red. Strain and let it cool.
Then, add some fresh ginger juice, some lime juice, jal jeera (I used chaat masala), a pinch of rock salt and some sugar. Stir, strain once again and pour it over ice into (tall) glasses.
Garnish with some mint leaves and lemon slices.
Mmmmm.... at once tangy and sweet, this refreshing summer cooler was unlike any other drink we'd ever had. Seriously, should you find this anywhere, don't even bat an eyelid, just grab it! I am certain you will simply relish it.
This dried roselle iced tea goes to AnuSriram's Refreshing Drinks for Summer.
Hi AD,
ReplyDeleteThis is something I didn't know! You kept everyone's guessing bank on work...lol
Thanks for the info. The Iced tea looks absolutely inviting,nice snap.
TC
very new kinda drink.. but sounds refreshing and full of flavor.
ReplyDeletegood one..am waiting to grab on some roselles soon..
ReplyDeletevery new to me..Nice colour of the look...
ReplyDeleteOh wow refreshing and vibrant drink...
ReplyDeleteWow wat a terrific colour...iced tea looks absolutely gorgeous AQua!
ReplyDeleteWow the tea looks really refreshing, and i love the color..
ReplyDeleteI don't recognize this one at all but what a gorgeous color. I would have guessed it as a dried Rose petals! :D
ReplyDeletethat looks gorgeous for sure
ReplyDeleteWow.. thats interesting! Never heard about this... The drink looks awesome! Thanks for sending it for my event!
ReplyDeleteWow, looks amazing, roselle -hibiscus family... Good info... The iced tea is so colorful... unique post...
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed hibsicus, when i was in egypt for holiday i bought 3 kilos of dried ones and i still have left, last year i made syrup and used the whole summer.
ReplyDeleteCheck out in my place in cocoktails there is a recipe.
The drink looks so beautiful and inviting...will have to check if I can get these dried things over here..Lovely recipe
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful color and the drink is looks so attractive. WOw
ReplyDeleteInteresting..havent heard even !!
ReplyDeleteThe roselle tea looks so refreshing and the color is lovely.
ReplyDeleteWe have hibiscus tree in our home and I was thinking of making Jam with it.And now I wanna make this roselle iced tea..
Love the color AD..New to me..Looks refreshing..
ReplyDeletenew to me ..i dont knoe abt this ingredient before..thanks for the info...refreshing drink n nice color too !!
ReplyDeletewow, tea looks so good. Never heard of it before!
ReplyDeleteI've heard about it in a food show... The tea looks colorful and nice presentation! :)
ReplyDeleteSounds very refreshing to me, a must try one.
ReplyDeleteWow...i've never seen or heard of this one before...the iced tea looks so refreshing..very tempting.
ReplyDeleteMay be I have never tasted one! Very new drink!
ReplyDeleteThis one had me stumped - have never seen roselle. But I am a fan of herbal teas and this is now on my "to find" list
ReplyDeleteUmm okie so that's a thing...next visit to Carreflour and will look out for this :)..gud one dear
ReplyDeleteoh my god looking so refrshing... so nice drink
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! Thankyou!!
ReplyDeletewow this is a very new drink and also it looks so appealing!!!!
ReplyDeleteYou see the problem is that most people do not know what Roselle tea is...or what Sorrel is...or what Flor de Jamaica is. The first time I tried it was in Mexico, there it is called Flor de Jamaica...pronounced Hamaica like Jalapeno!! And I fell in love with it right away...it is the flower off of the Hibicus plant genius Sabdariffa and it is so amazing tasting. It is sold all over the world and goes under many different names. But at the end of the day, it is the most refreshing drink ever!
ReplyDelete