Roselle tea Drink-Zobo, Bissap, Hibiscus

This delicious Roselle drink is easy to whip up and can be enjoyed chilled or served hot as tea.

It's been a while since our last chat. Where has the time gone? I've been procrastinating on today's post, so I just had to get off my tail and share something globally scrumptious with y’all today! We are Worldly Treat, after all!

We will be taking a trip to various parts of the world today right in our kitchen! I am sharing one of my favorite childhood drinks with you today: the Roselle drink, or zobo drink as we call it back home. It's refreshingly tasty, like this butterfly pea tea.

What is Roselle Tea?

Roselle tea is made from the Hibiscus sabdariffa plant (Zobo leaves), well known to the natives of West Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. The leaves, seeds, and fruits are edible, nutritious, and packed with antioxidants. The petal of the plant can be used to make tea, syrups, jam, drinks, and lots more.

Growing up back home in Nigeria, sorrel hibiscus drink was every kid's favorite, at least it was for my siblings and me and every other kid with a sweet tooth in the neighborhood!  The hibiscus drink was called “Zobo.”

As kids, we would compete for the most ruby-colored tongue, as the drink has a vibrant ruby hue. So you've got to let it sit on the tongue for a few minutes to win the game, this meant several cups of the zobo drink and a massive sugar rush as most street hawkers add a ton of sugar in the drink to keep those sugar addicts coming for back for more.

I came across the dried hibiscus petals the other day while shopping at the Asian market. I was doing the happy dance in aisle 3 because I’ve been searching for the hibiscus leaf for the longest time with no luck. I couldn't wait to get home to share my excitement and bring back that taste of home.

There are several names for zobo drinks throughout the world. In Senegal, it's called Bissap, Zobo or tsoborodo in Nigeria, agua de Jamaica in Mexico, karkadé in Egypt, Arhul ka Phil in India, Guamamela in the Philippines, Oseille in France, to name but a few.

This delicious beverage can be enjoyed chilled or served hot as tea. It has a piquant flavor; thus, sweeteners like honey, syrup, or sugar can be used to sweeten the drink. Depending on preference, fresh fruits can also serve as a sweetener or flavor enhancer.

Ingredients

Here are a couple of ingredients needed to make the Nigerian Zobo drink:

• Hibiscus leaves: You can get the dried hibiscus flowers from amazon or specialty stores.
• Raw ginger: I used about two thumb-sized gingers. Feel free to use ground ginger if that's all you have on hand. To get an enhanced ginger taste, add at least 2 tablespoons.
• Cinnamon sticks: the cinnamon sticks enhance the taste of the roselle tea by adding some sweet and spicy notes.
• Pineapple: I prefer fresh pineapples; you can use frozen if that's all you have. Make sure to allow it to thaw to reduce the amount of liquid in the pot. You can equally remove half a cup of water and use it for frozen fruits.
• Sweetener: although the fruit already adds sweetness to the drink, you can add more sweetener to your taste. To keep it healthy, use an unrefined sugar like honey to sweeten the drink.

How to make zobo drink

The preparation for the drink is pretty basic and straightforward.

• Rinse the dried petals and ginger under running water.
• In a medium-sized pot, bring all the ingredients mentioned above to a boil ( EXCEPT the sweetener)
• Remove from heat and allow to steep.
• Place a strainer or cheesecloth over a pitcher or bowl, and pour the content over it.
• Add sweetener and chill completely or serve over ice or frozen fruits. (serve hot if you prefer)

Variations and Substitutions

Spices: other spices like cloves, cinnamon, or mace can be used for an even enhanced taste.

Flavors: add berries or your favorite fruit to sample fun flavors.

Sweetener: hibiscus tea is used quite often for weight loss without added sugar. Adding one-fourth to half a cup of sweetener can elevate the taste of the drink, so it's up to you.

Cocktail: Do you want something stronger solely for adults? Simply add some dark rum, vodka, or sparkling wine (drink responsibly!).

Tips for Success

• Let the leave steep for a long time, preferably 4 hours or overnight, to get the best flavor possible.
• Rinse the hibiscus petals to get rid of specks of dirt.

Storage

• Store any leftovers in an air-tight bottle or pitcher, and refrigerate for up to 4 days for best flavor.
• Pour the drink into an ice cube tray and freeze for later use.

More Drinks to try

If you are looking for something with more of a citrus burst, try these thirst quenchers below:

• Butterfly Pea Tea Latte
• GRAPEFRUIT GIN SOUR (No Eggs)
• Mango Summer Cooler-Easy Mango Smoothie
• Peach and Mango Daiquiri

There you have it! Kick your feet up and enjoy a refreshing glass of this delicious tea. Until next time!

I hope you’ll give this agua de jamaica beverage a try.

Share a glass with us on our social media if you make this cocktail using the hashtag worldlytreat(#worldlytreat), we’d love to join the soirée. Don’t forget to pin it for later.

laterz!

Peace & Love

Maureen

Click here to PIN it for Later.

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