Hibiscus Flower Drink
Nam Krajiab
Iced hibiscus flower infusion with a tart, cranberry-like flavor
- Prep
- 2 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Serves
- 4
- Heat
- mild
Roselle infusion is one of Thailand's most familiar herbal drinks, made simply by boiling dried hibiscus sepals until the water turns a striking bright red, with a tart flavor many people compare to cranberry. It can be enjoyed as a warm tea, but it's far more commonly served iced and well sweetened, the vivid color showing best in a tall glass over crushed ice. The recipe itself is about as simple as a drink gets — flowers, sugar, water — but the flavor and color make it a distinctive addition to any Thai meal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dried roselle (hibiscus flower) (whole dried sepals)
- 1/2 cup Sugar (to taste)
- 2 liters Drinking water
Directions
- Boil half the water, then add the dried roselle flowers. Boil on high for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Scoop the flowers out with a slotted spoon. The liquid should be a bright pink to dark red color.
- While still boiling, stir in the sugar. Add the remaining water to reach a total of 2 liters. Once the sugar fully dissolves, turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Strain through a cloth or fine mesh strainer to remove any remaining flower particles.
- Refrigerate in a closed container until ready to serve.
- Serve in a tall glass over crushed ice to show off the color, garnished with a sprig of mint if you like.
Notes
Start with less sugar than you think you'll need and add more to taste — the drink is naturally quite sour without it, and it's easier to sweeten further than to fix an overly sweet batch.
Substitutions
If using pre-broken roselle pieces rather than whole dried flowers, use noticeably less than the full amount listed, since broken pieces are more concentrated by volume.