Our hibiscus bush is extraordinarily profuse this year, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try and make some hibiscus tea; but first I had to find a good recipe...
As I began to forage around on the internet, the first thing I discovered is that our hibiscus flowers are
not really the right type for making tea, being (I think) an Indian white variety, and not the traditionally-used Jamaican red variety. However, a little comment I came across on a YouTube video suggested that the white variety are still usable, though they make a more delicate, mild tea.
The first thing to do is pick the flower heads and steep them in boiling water.
I picked ten flowers, pulled off the stamens and calyces, and put them in a jug with a pint of water. Then I left them for about ten or fifteen minutes, while I squeezed half a lime, in preparation for the next stage.
Interestingly, I read online that the red Jamaican flowers turn the water a deep red-violet colour, which turns to a deepish pink after the addition of the lime juice; but when I added water to the white flowers, the liquid turned yellow, so I wasn't in the least sure it would work. I thought I might as well continue to the end however, so when the flowers had steeped for long enough, I removed them with a strainer and added the lime juice. And lo and behold, the yellow liquid turned to pink!
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| A pleasing flavour, reminiscent of grapefruit juice... |
N.b Red hibiscus tea is recommended iced, but I tried my white tea when it was still warm, and found I preferred it that way. If you like your tea sweetened, add honey or sugar before the lime juice, whilst the liquid is still hot...
Addendum: We later took this on a picnic; we had it cool, with one soup spoon of honey to one pint of tea, and enjoyed it very much!
