Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Karkade

If you go to Egypt, one thing to bring back home is wine-red dried hibiscus petals.

Cooks' Note

The drink can also be served hot like tea.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 or 5

Ingredients

1 cup hibiscus petals (karkade)
5 cups water
Sugar to taste

Preparation

  1. Put the petals in a pan with the water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Let cool, then filter into a jug and chill, covered with plastic wrap. Serve chilled. The drink is quite tart. Let everyone add sugar to taste.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
TagsPitcher DrinkBeveragesMiddle EasternHibiscusHerbs & SpicesEasyQuickCookbooks
Read More
Upside-Down Martinis for a Crowd
Invert the ratio of gin to vermouth for a party-friendly and slightly lighter drinking experience.
Sheet-Pan Hot Honey Chicken and Peaches
No grill needed for this just-charred-enough sweet and spicy chicken.
Spaghetti With So Much Zucchini
Loosely inspired by pasta Amatriciana, a few pounds of zucchini stand in for tomatoes.
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App This Week
Like banana pudding cake and beer can chicken.
13 Types of Nuts and How to Cook With Them
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Our go-to banana bread recipe is moist, nutty, and incredibly easy to make.
The Most-Saved Recipes in the Epicurious App in June
Like swordfish steaks with tomatoes and Peruvian-style tofu.