How to Make Karkade at Home

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Karkade is hibiscusكركديه

The dried flower, steeped in water. That's the whole thing. One ingredient.

Back home it isn't a health drink and it isn't a trend. It's what gets poured when someone walks through your door. Weddings, Ramadan, a hot afternoon in the street. There's always a jug of it going.

It's naturally caffeine free, so the kids drink it too. We didn't invent any of this. We just make it the way we grew up on it, and this page is us showing you how so you can make it yourself.

Get the dried karkade

How to make itكيف تحضره

This is how it's made back home. Cold water, a whole night, nothing rushed.

1 100g to a litre That's our measure and we don't skimp on it. What you're making is a base, not the drink, so it should come out too strong to drink on its own.
2 Cold water, overnight Not boiling. Cover it and leave it in the fridge for eight hours or more. This is the part most people skip and it's the part that matters.
3 Strain, sweeten, let it down Sweeten to taste, then add cold water until it tastes right to you and pour it over ice. Some people put lime in. Keep the calyces, they'll give you a second jug.

The rest of it

Everything people ask us at the stall, written down so you don't have to.

Why cold, not boiling

The one thing worth knowing

Hot water rushes it

Boiling pulls the tannins out fast, and that sharp drying edge is what a lot of people think karkade just tastes like. It doesn't have to.

Cold takes longer and tastes better

Slow steeping comes out smoother, and it holds that deep red instead of going brown on you.

You get a second jug

Don't bin the calyces after the first strain. Top them up and go again. The second one is lighter, and plenty of people prefer it.

How much you need

Straight answer

The steep100g a litre

300g bagAbout 20 litres

600g bagAbout 40 litres

1.2kg bagAbout 79 litres

Those litres are finished drink, not base. You steep it heavy at 100g a litre, let it down with cold water until it tastes right, and run the calyces a second time. That's how a kilo comes out around 66 litres. We'd rather tell you what we actually put in it than quote you a teaspoon and hope you don't notice the cup is weak.

Questions we actually get

Is it caffeine free?

Yes. Naturally, not decaffeinated. It's a flower, not a tea leaf.

Do I have to sweeten it?

No. It's tart on its own and a lot of people drink it that way. At home most families sweeten it. Try it plain first and decide.

Can I make it hot?

Of course. Steep it like a tea for five minutes. We just think it's better cold, and that's how it gets drunk at home in the heat.

How long does it keep?

Three or four days in the fridge in a sealed jug. It's fresh with nothing added, so treat it like fresh juice.

Where does yours come from?

Sudan. Whole dried calyces, packed by us in Western Sydney. Not cut, not powdered, not a teabag full of dust.

One honest note. Hibiscus can interact with some blood pressure medication and it isn't recommended in large amounts during pregnancy. We're not doctors and we're not going to pretend otherwise. If that's you, ask yours.

Get the dried karkade