How to Make Egyptian Tea

Brewing Hibiscus Tea

Boil 2 US qt (1.9 L) of water in a pot. Set a large pot on the stovetop and fill it with cold water. Turn the stovetop onto high heat, and wait for the water to boil. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat and set the hot water on a separate burner or surface. Since you’re making a large batch of tea, it might take a few minutes before the water boils completely. You can always halve or quarter the recipe if you don’t want to make as much!

Mix 2-3 cups (90-135 g) of hibiscus flowers into the hot water. Measure out some dried hibiscus flowers, which will provide the base flavor for your karkade. For a stronger flavor, use whole hibiscus flowers instead of bagged tea. You can find dried hibiscus flowers online, or at most stores that sell dried tea leaves. Hibiscus flowers are dark pink in color when they’re dry.

Allow the flowers to steep in the hot water for 10 minutes. Set a timer for at least 10 minutes so your tea can develop a strong flavor. If the tea tastes too strong, you can always mix in 1 c (240 mL) of water to dilute it a bit.

Strain the tea into a separate pitcher with a mesh strainer. Place a large mesh sieve or strainer on top of a clean pitcher, which will help filter out the boiled hibiscus flowers. Slowly pour the tea into the pitcher, letting the flowers catch on top of the sieve while the rest of the tea flows into the pitcher. A cheesecloth can work for this as well.

Mix in 1-2 cups (200-400 g) of white sugar. Measure and stir some sugar into the karkade, which will make it a little more palatable. Continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved completely into the tea. If you’d your tea to be extra sweet, stir in an additional 4 tsp (20 mL) of honey.

Let the tea cool in the refrigerator and drink it within a week. Cover the pitcher and place it in the refrigerator, so the tea isn’t warm when you drink it. After waiting a few hours, take the pitcher of the refrigerator and pour yourself a glass. Try to drink the tea within a week, or while it still looks and smells fresh. If the karkade looks, smells, or tastes funny, toss it out right away. If you want, you can drink this beverage warm, though it’s typically enjoyed cold.

Jazzing up Your Tea

Serve your tea over ice on a hot day. Fill a glass with a few ice cubes, then pour the tea over the ice. This is a great way to enjoy your tea on an especially warm day, or if you’re hosting a party for some friends.

Add a sprig of mint to make your tea extra refreshing. Pour your tea into a serving glass, then top it off with a single sprig of mint. Drink your tea with sprig floating in the tea—this will make your drink extra refreshing and minty!

Stir in ⁄2 tsp (2.5 mL) of vanilla extract for a warm flavor. Mix a small spoonful of vanilla extract into your larger pitcher of tea so the flavor is distributed throughout. Stir the extract for several seconds, or until it’s completely mixed into the tea. Some people enjoy mixing vanilla extract with a sprig of mint for an extra refreshing beverage. If you’d like your drink to be halal, check that the vanilla extract doesn’t have any alcohol in it.

Mix in ⁄2 c (120 mL) of lemon juice to add some extra zest. Pour a small amount of lemon juice into the entire pitcher of tea, then stir it together. Serve the tea in a single glass and enjoy it as you normally would! You can always mix a spoonful or 2 of lemon juice into the pitcher if you don’t want to flavor the entire batch.

Grab a piece of washed ginger root and grate off a small spoonful. Stir the ginger root into your tea pitcher to give your beverage a little extra zest. Once you’re done mixing in the ingredient, pour yourself a glass of tea to enjoy. The ginger root might sink to the bottom after a while, which is normal.

Add in 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of orange flower water for flavor. Take out your tea pitcher and mix in a small spoonful of orange flower water, which will give your tea a refreshing, citrusy taste. Pour yourself a cup of tea once you’ve thoroughly stirred the tea. You can find orange flower water online, or at some specialty shops and grocery stores.