Karkade (Hibiscus) syrup

Karkade (sometimes referred to as ‘red tea’) is a drink made from hibiscus flowers (Hibiscus sabdariffa) popular in Egypt and the Middle East. Often served chilled it is also delicious hot on a winter’s day. The astringent flavour of the hibiscus flowers is counterbalanced by the addition of sugar making a delightfully refreshing brew. Drinks made from hibiscus are popular wherever the hibiscus grows, and anyone who’s been to Mexico will surely be familiar with the aguas fresca ‘agua de Jamaica’.
Anyway, I had originally intended on making my usual rose syrup to serve with mahalabiya, but decided on something slightly different. The tart cranberry-like flavour of the karkade would complement the sweetness of the mahalabiya perfectly, and the jewel-bright redness complements the green pistachios beautifully.
It’s a simple sugar syrup based on 1 part sugar to 1 part water, and it’s equally delicious over yoghurt, porridge or drizzled on some pancakes. Whatever takes your fancy!
Ingredients
1 handful of dried hibiscus flowers
150g sugar
150ml boiling water
1 tablespoon rose water
Squeeze of lemon

1. Put the hibiscus flowers in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Allow to steep for 30 minutes or so (you want the water to be a rich deep red colour), and then strain – don’t throw away the soaked flowers, you can reuse them
2. Add the hibiscus water to a pan and stir in the sugar, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lemon (this will stop the sugar from crystalising)
3. Take off the heat and stir in the rose water 
4. Allow to cool and then refrigerate. Delicious on desserts, yoghurt, ice cream...

Amardeen (Dried apricot drink)

Keeping on the apricot theme, and with some left over amardeen sauce from my mahalabiya, I thought I’d make up some amardeen drink. A refreshing drink made of apricot leather (amardeen*) traditionally served to break the fast at Ramadan. As with most of my recipes amounts are approximate. Some recipes for this drink use added sugar, but personally I find the apricots are sweet enough as is. Feel free to chuck in some sugar if you like yours extra sweet!

* Also known as kamardeen/din  / qamardeen/din / Amar el Deen/Din / Qamar el Deen/Din etc etc depending on the transliteration of Arabic

Ingredients
100g amardeen (or a few handfuls of dried apricots*)
100ml boiling water
2 tablespoons rose water
Pine nuts / pistachios (to decorate)

1. Tear the amardeen / apricot leather into small pieces and put in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes (or until softened, may take longer). *If you can’t get a hold of amardeen, dried apricots are an acceptable substitute, though the flavour wont be as concentrated. Try to avoid the ‘ready to eat’ apricots that most supermarkets sell nowadays, they are partially reconstituted and while perfectly ok to eat they are lacking in the concentrated flavour. Ideally what you want is wizened dried up shrivelled things
2. Once softened, puree until smooth. If necessary push through a sieve
3. Dilute with cold water until it reaches the desired consistency  - you want a thickish juice
4. Stir in the rose water
5. Serve with ice and pine nuts (or pistachios) to decorate