Ghanaian recipe
How to make Sobolo
All of Ghana, and across West Africa
A deep red drink made by boiling dried hibiscus flowers with ginger and cloves, then sweetening and chilling it. It tastes a little like cranberry juice and is usually served cold.
Ingredients
- 50 g dried hibiscus flowers (roselle, sold as sorrel or bissap)
- 2 litres water
- A 5 cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- 6 cloves
- The washed peel of 1 pineapple (optional)
- 100 to 150 g sugar, to taste
Method
- Rinse the hibiscus flowers in a sieve under cold water.
- Put the flowers, water, ginger, cloves and pineapple peel in a large pot, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let it stand for 30 minutes so the colour and flavour deepen.
- Strain through a fine sieve, stir in sugar while it is still warm, and taste.
- Chill well in the fridge and serve cold, with ice if you like.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
The same drink is called bissap in Senegal and Burkina Faso and zobo in Nigeria.
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