25.4.09

Drink your Way to a Healthy Heart: Hibiscus-Ginger Cooler


The theme for Heart of the Matter (HotM) this month - hosted by Ilva at Lucullian Delights - was Flowers. In Hawaii, hibiscus grows wild and is commonly found in home gardens and as an ornamental plant, but this little beauty is also extremely high in vitamin C (maybe that's what gives it its beautifully rich color?) and preliminary studies show promising results that it may lower high blood pressure and even cholesterol when steeped and enjoyed as a drink. Sounds like the perfect heart-healthy drink to me!

Hibiscus has been used as a health "tonic" of sorts in cultures all over the world for centuries, and I think it's high time we bring it back! I've been taking some herbal classes lately, learning about the herbs, flowers and plants that are both native and invasive in Hawaii that can be used for tinctures, salves and more to improve health and reduce reliance on contemporary medicine. For my entry for HotM this month, I steeped dried hibiscus flowers with ginger, a rhizome known to be great for stomach problems, but which also has cholesterol-lowering properties. For a little kick, I added a bit of peppermint to the steeping liquid and then sweetened it slightly with honey. It came out great! I can imagine it as an extremely refreshing drink for the dog-days of summer, but it's been nice for the nice days this spring too, when you get a warm day. Add an umbrella and some sparkling water (or hey, rum if you are so inclined) and you've got yourself a fruity, tropical drink that can be made with completely local ingredients. We'll be drinking much more of this in the days to come!

While the flowers themselves are much more beautiful when they are not dried, the dried ones keep well in an airtight container and impart a gorgeous, ruby color to your steeping liquid. Hibiscus has its own distinct flavor...which is actually really difficult to describe, but good! And you don't need very many! I used 15 dried blossoms (I got these at the farmer's market some time ago, but you can also dry your own to about) but you could use the same amount of blossoms in a larger amount of water I think and not lose any flavor...I had a bunch, so I didn't mind using them because I wanted the hibiscus flavor to come through.

Hibiscus-Ginger Cooler, makes 4 cups.

4 cups filtered water
15 dried hibiscus blossoms
1 inch ginger root, organic and unpeeled - sliced into 1/4" slices
1 small sprig of mint
raw honey, to taste

Bring the water to a boil, then remove from the heat and stir in the hibiscus, ginger root and mint. Let steep for at least an hour or up to 4. Strain the mixture with a sieve (or cheese cloth if you want a clearer liquid). You could sweeten it with the honey at this point, or you can sweeten each glass as you want to drink it depending on your preference and who will be drinking it later.

7 comments from you:

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Golly I hope I can find some hibiscus dried. This sounds like a wonderful bright summer drink and great for my BP!

Michelle said...

If you want some, little Tanna, I will send them to you!! Just email me your address... I'd be proud to be privy to helping reduce your BP ;)

Soma said...

This is a beautiful drink. I have used Flor De jamaica, for a drink before. for some strange reason they are called hibiscus too, but this is the real hibiscus u have used. I wish I knew we could make a drink out of these.. we had them blooming red & pink back in my home in India.

Murasaki Shikibu said...

Hibiscus and ginger is a very interesting combination. :)

Michelle said...

Soma, thanks! Flor de Jamaica sounds interesting too. Isn't it fun to see all the yummy edible things growing right in our own backyards?

Murasaki - it's delicious! I love ginger and the hibiscus is nice to help mellow out the sharpness of it!

Anonymous said...

There is a new winery in Texas called Texas Star Winery that will offer Hibiscus Wine. They are getting their federal and state permits now. They are on Facebook as Texas Star Winery. Their first commercial bottles will be ready about January or February. Good stuff!

Wendi Jarrett said...

I'm Jamaican descent and my parents have been making Sorrel (from dried hibiscus flowers) forever. It's a popular and delicious, invigorating drink. It made in bulk for most celebrations and festive events.. from weddings to funerals and everything in between.

Recipe
4.5 litres of boiled water
125g dried hibiscus flowers
100g - fresh root ginger (skin scrapped off and the ginger grated)
3 bay leaves
10 Jamaican allspice berries (pimento)
4 - 6 cloves
750 - 1kg unrefined brown sugar or
500g - sugar + 4 tbsp honey
juice of 2 limes

In a large (preserving pan,is what I use) boil the water, turn off. Add the other ingredients except the sugar/honey and lime juice. Stir well and allow to steep overnight. Next day, strain, add the lime juice and sweeten to taste. Gorgeous and something special with a glugg of Jamaica's finest rum - Wray & Nephew.
Walk good with good health and love.
Wendi Jarrett
Heart & Soul Enterprises