flipKarkadé, the ruby infusion
Karkadé, the ruby infusion
Why this dish? Egypt's national drink, karkadé is served hot in winter and iced in summer, accompanying both family meals and the welcome of a guest. For a president attached to Egyptian peasant identity and hospitality, it is the drink that says 'welcome' at the sofra.
An infusion of dried hibiscus flowers, deep red, tart and refreshing, sweetened to taste. Drunk hot to warm up, or iced to brave the Cairo heat.
When you enter my home, we don't leave your throat dry: we hand you karkadé, red like a Sudanese ruby. These dried flowers, we steep them in water, sweeten according to the guest's taste, and serve hot when the desert wind blows, iced when the Cairo sun crushes the city. It's sour-sweet, it quenches a man to the soul. To refuse this glass would be to refuse friendship—and the Egyptian, you see, has never known how to welcome with empty hands.
- •Dried hibiscus flowers (karkadé) — a handful (base, color)
- •Water — according to number of guests (infusion)
- •Sugar — to taste (balance)
Karkadé, the ruby infusion
An infusion of dried hibiscus flowers, deep red, tart and refreshing, sweetened to taste. Drunk hot to warm up, or iced to brave the Cairo heat.
Why this dish? Egypt's national drink, karkadé is served hot in winter and iced in summer, accompanying both family meals and the welcome of a guest. For a president attached to Egyptian peasant identity and hospitality, it is the drink that says 'welcome' at the sofra.
When you enter my home, we don't leave your throat dry: we hand you karkadé, red like a Sudanese ruby. These dried flowers, we steep them in water, sweeten according to the guest's taste, and serve hot when the desert wind blows, iced when the Cairo sun crushes the city. It's sour-sweet, it quenches a man to the soul. To refuse this glass would be to refuse friendship—and the Egyptian, you see, has never known how to welcome with empty hands.
Ingredients (period version)
- Dried hibiscus flowers (karkadé) — a handful (base, color)
- Water — according to number of guests (infusion)
- Sugar — to taste (balance)
Ingredients
- Dried hibiscus flowers — 50 g (base)
- Water — 1 L (infusion)
- Sugar — 4 to 6 tbsp (to taste) (balance)
- Ice cubes — as desired (cold version)
Method
- Rinse the hibiscus flowers quickly in cold water.
- For the hot version: pour 1 L of simmering water over the flowers and steep for 8-10 minutes, then strain and sweeten.
- For the iced version: let the flowers steep for several hours in cold water (or steep hot and cool), strain, sweeten, and serve over ice.
- Taste and adjust sugar: karkadé should remain distinctly tart.
How it was made : Hibiscus (karkadé) has long been cultivated in the upper Nile Valley and Sudan. Infused, it yields an intense red drink, considered Egypt's national beverage, served in cafés as well as at weddings and religious festivals. It is prepared hot in winter and iced in summer.
The contemporary twist : Serve it iced in a tall glass with a thin lemon slice and a mint sprig: a 'Nile ruby' that pops as a non-alcoholic aperitif.
Anwar Sadat · Charactorium
