Last week I posted a menu that reflects the new health-conscious lifestyle that I have adopted. Today I am going to show you a refreshing, healthy tea that will certainly quench your thirst, and be a definite conversation piece.
Rumor has it that it was discovered as an alternative to black tea and the high taxation the British imposed on them. (A great way to thumb your nose at the aristocracy.)
The health effects of this tea are what have me. It is traditionally used in India to lower blood sugar in diabetics, and it is rumored to reduce hypertension. (That is, if the gods of Wiki can be trusted.) It is popular in a lot of cultures: Jamaican, Asian, Latin-American and African.
Here is my version of the tea, without sugar that would counteract the benefit for a diabetic.
Don't be scared of the price, this will make enough for an entire BBQ party!
Hibiscus will be a little more difficult to find than your regular sachets of dust in the supermarket. You will need to visit one of those weird little herb/spice shops, or perhaps your nearby health food store. In a last-ditch effort, you might even be able to ask a florist where to find the dried flowers.
Don’t be put off by the first step. Sometimes you just need to work a little extra for that payoff, and it will be huge, I promise!
The next spices are the secret ingredients. You do not need these spices to continue, but they will add a special touch to the tea. Peppercorns for a bit of spiciness, cinnamon for a little earthiness, cloves for a back of the mouth feel, and Jamaican allspice and star anise for their high accent notes.
This is what adds that special touch to the tea
Add it all together in a large pot, throw in your spices whole. (Don’t worry, we will be straining the whole mixture later.)
Look at all that goodness in there!
Fill the pot to almost full with water. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
You really don’t want a roiling boil here. The idea is to extract as much out of the flowers and spices as possible. Once 15 minutes has passed, turn off the heat and let the mixture rest for 10 more minutes. This is to allow the maximum extraction of all that is good from the ingredients.
Strain the mixture through a fine strainer
If you don’t have a fine chinois, you could use a clean T-Shirt to strain the mixture. The idea is to get all of the flowers and spices out of the tea so it will be more enjoyable to drink.
Let the mixture drain naturally
Patience is key here. You might be tempted to mash the mixture through the strainer. Don’t. If you do that, you will force the particles through the mesh, and you will have sediment in your tea.
Some people like their tea sweet. If that is the case, mix in enough sugar to lightly sweeten the mixture. If you are diabetic like me, you can enjoy it without sweetening it, or you can add some stevia leaves (or powder) to the mixture while it is still hot.
To serve, pour over ice cubes. You could even take it to go in a container like this one:
Take it to go! Just remember to pour it over ice.
There you have it, a refreshing tea for the BBQ that people will love!
Refreshing Hibiscus Tea
Serves: 15
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces dried hibiscus tea leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Jamaican allspice
- 4 pods star anise
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1 gallon cold water
- optional: 2 cups sugar or 3 stevia leaves or 10 packets stevia powder
Method:
- Place hibiscus leaves, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and star anise in large pot; fill with cold water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to barely a simmer. It is important that you do not let the mixture roil and boil, as this will make for a cloudy and bitter mixture.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 10 minutes. (If you are adding the stevia leaves for sweetening, add them now.)
- Strain the mixture through a fine strainer or an old clean T-Shirt. Avoid the temptation to press the mixture through the strainer. You will need to be patient, or you will have to contend with small particles catching in your teeth while drinking. (Not a fun experience!)
- If you are sweetening with sugar, add it at this point, stir the sugar through.
- Allow the mixture to cool.
- Serve the mixture over ice, adding a twist of lemon or lime if you choose. Mint also works very well for another added touch.
- You can keep this tea in the refrigerator for up to a week. Take it to go from time to time!
