Karkade (aka Hibiscus or "flor de Jamaica") was used to make the drink of the Pharaohs of Egypt, and still a popular drink in the Middle East and North Africa (as well as Latin America) today.
They are those pretty red flowers that tropical fairies bathe in. The flowers have a sweet and tart taste when steeped in water. You can serve the tea hot or cold, but we prefer it cool and sweet. Hibiscus is also really good for you! It is caffeine free, rich in Vitmin C, and is known to help lower cholesterol, act as natural body refrigerant, aid in digestion, among other things...
Dried Hibiscus Flowers
The husband is in charge of making Karkade in our house. Here is his recipe:
Add 1 cup dried flowers to 1 liter (4 cups) water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Sweeten with honey to taste (it's naturally a bit sweet and tart; he puts about 3-4 soup spoons) Let it cool, then drain into a pitcher and put in the fridge. Perfect for a hot summer day...
Btw - husband is also looking for a few staple recipes to become good at - so if any one out there got some simple, "manly" recipes in mind (something other than goulash or sauteed potatoes), shout out!
Enjoy
Nothing beats gulash, but I'm open minded..
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