COLD Hibiscus Sharbat & HOT Hibiscus Tea | Healthy Hibiscus Drinks with Jaggery | Agua De Jamaica

Hibiscus - attractive blooms that are so vivid with the vibrant tint of reddish-pink colour and the hint of tart flavour well known for culinary, medicinal and ornamental purposes. More than just for garnishing, Hibiscus does a lot more and it deserves a floral toppers list.

 

The plentiful health goodness and the beautiful swirl of colour make the Hibiscus drinks so appetizing and the must-taken daily drink to be added to our diet. My mom's garden is filled with the beauty of reddish hibiscus blooms and she makes tarty hibiscus tea daily with fresh hibiscus flowers. 

Though the fresh flowers steeped in the water along with the sweetener makes the simply superb Hibiscus drink, adding a few super ingredients add a magical taste to it. Add a little lemongrass, lemon wedge, ginger, mint leaves or any additives of your desire to enhance the taste of the hibiscus drink.

In Mexico, Hibiscus tea is one of the most popular beverages. The tea can be prepared either using fresh hibiscus petals or dried hibiscus petals. If the fresh hibiscus is available, a great way to go as they seep out their colour very fast.

Fresh Hibiscus vs Dried Hibiscus:

Fresh Hibiscus petals take less time to release their colour while dry hibiscus petals take a little long time. If using dried hibiscus petals, steep for about 15 minutes and the fresh hibiscus can be steeped for just 5 minutes.

For a cup of water, two to three fresh hibiscus flowers are needed to make the perfectly coloured hibiscus tea. And, in the case of dried hibiscus flowers, we need 1/4 cup of hibiscus flowers for each cup of water.

The fresh hibiscus flowers can be cleaned, dried in a shade and stored in a dry container. You can also get dried hibiscus flowers online. If you have fresh hibiscus flowers blooming daily as in my mom's garden, pick the fresh flowers to make this most inviting and healthy Floral drink ever.

Know the amazing benefits of Hibiscus:

• It regulates blood circulation.
• It promotes hair growth and reduces grey hair.
• It helps aid digestion and alleviates constipation.
• It reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.
• It protects the liver. 

Hibiscus tea can be enjoyed both hot or cold. The chilled hibiscus tea can be enjoyed as Sharbat in the summer season with the addition of Sabja seeds and ice cubes. So, the two ultimate floral drinks, one hot tea for all occasion and one cold Sharbat for the scorching summer are what coming through this post.

Certain additives transform the simple drink to the next level that would amaze the taste buds for sure. The cinnamon stick is one such anchor ingredient that infuses beautifully with the tarty hibiscus flavour making the Hibiscus drink pretty much cool, colourful and flavourful.

Though any sweeteners can be added, I use Jaggery which my mom used to add, and they turn out super delicious. Honey can be added as a sweetener for Hibiscus Tea, and for the Sharbat, Jaggery is the best sweetener that should not be skipped.

⏲ Preparation Time: 5 minutes

⏲ Cooking Time: 10 minutes

🍴 Servings: 4 cups

COLD Hibiscus Sharbat & HOT Hibiscus Tea

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The super hot & colourful herbal tea prepared by steeping fresh or dried hibiscus flowers; and the super cold, vivid herbal sharbat prepared with hibiscus flowers, Sabja seeds and cubed ice.

What do you need? [1 cup= 150 ml]

For Hibiscus Tea: 

• Fresh Hibiscus flowers - 8 (or 1 cup of dried hibiscus flowers)
• Water - 4 cups
• Cinnamon stick - 1-inch piece
• Lemon juice- 2 tbsp (or juice of half lemon)
• Jaggery - 6 tbsp

For Hibiscus Sharbat:

• Chilled Hibiscus Tea - 4 cups
• Sabja seeds - 1 tsp 
• Mint leaves - a few (chopped)(optional)
• Ice cubes
  

Steps Involved:

• Take 4 cups of water in a pan.
• Add in the washed hibiscus flowers, jaggery, cinnamon stick and bring to boil.
• Turn off the flame and add in the lemon juice.
• Close with a lid and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
• Filter and serve the Hibiscus Tea very hot.
• Cooldown the hibiscus tea completely.
• Soak the Sabja seeds for 15 minutes and add to the chilled hibiscus tea.
• Add in the chopped mint leaves (optional) and the ice cubes.
• Serve the Hibiscus Sharbat cold.
  

Visual Treat: 

 Video link for "COLD Hibiscus Sharbat & HOT Hibiscus Tea" post:

https://youtu.be/DOaGF_fuAUo

 

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For comforting the easy understandability of the recipe, the step by step detailed procedure, along with the picture is shown below:

Step-by-Step Procedure with Pictures

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How to Make? 

• Remove the green part and the centre part of the hibiscus flower.

• Wash the flowers thoroughly to get rid of the lingering dust and insects.
  

Procedure for Hibiscus Tea:

• Add 4 cups of water to a pan.

• Add the washed fresh hibiscus flowers to the water. Add 2 hibiscus flowers for each cup of water. If using dried hibiscus flowers, add 1/4 cup per cup of water.

• Add in the cinnamon stick. The cinnamon pairs quite well with the tartness of the hibiscus flower making the tea taste best.

• Add in the Jaggery. You can skip this step and add honey while consuming. For each cup of water, you can add 1&1/2 tablespoons of jaggery.

• Now, bring the water to a rolling boil and turn off the stove.

• Take a half piece of lemon and squeeze the juice into the tea. 

• Close with the lid and let it steep for 5 minutes.

• Now, strain the hibiscus tea and it is ready to drink.

• Serve hot the awesome floral drink and enjoy!

Procedure for Hibiscus Sharbat: 

• Chill the hibiscus tea. You can cool it down to room temperature or refrigerate it for some time.

• Take a teaspoon of Sabja seeds in a small bowl.

• Add a quarter cup of water to the Sabja seeds.

• Soak the Sabja seeds for 15 minutes or so.

• To a cup of chilled hibiscus tea, add in 2 teaspoons of soaked Sabja seeds.

• Add in some chopped mint leaves. If you do not like mint flavour, you can skip this step as well.

• Add in the ice cubes.

• Serve the colourful and healthy hibiscus Sharbat on each sip!

 

Tips:

• The iced lemon cubes can be added instead of normal ice cubes for the extra lemony punch in the hibiscus sharbat.
• Almond gum can also be added to the sharbat to give good texture and taste. 
• Boil the hibiscus flowers for 2 to 3 minutes before turning off the flame to seep out its essence completely.
  

 

Herbal Hibiscus Drinks!

with the Swirl of beautiful colour and mindblowing taste!