Dried edible flowers are a surprisingly aromatic addition to the canon of preservation.
The dried leaves and petals of the hibiscus flower make for a particularly tasty iced tea that is drunk all over North Africa and the Middle East. Soaking the leaves in hot water brings out the unique flavour of the flower, that is similiar to a more lemony cranberry juice. Once soaked the ruby petals leech a blood red colour into the water which depending, of course, on how sweet your tooth is needs sugar to offset the flowers tartness.
I picked up these Hibiscus leaves (Karkade in Arabic) in the vibrant food market in Toulon, in the South of France, where the atmosphere echoed the distinct bustle of a North African souk.
And if the health benifits of food is more your bag, well, hibiscus has been known to reduce blood pressure and help with weight loss.
Ingredients
50g dried hibiscus flowers (Karcade)
1½litres hot water
225g sugar
Soak the dried hibiscus in boiling water then add in the sugar. Stir to dissolve. After about 3 hours strain the liquid, pour into sterilized bottles, and refrigerate. Serve with ice.
Ken Doherty is a chef and journalist.
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