Mumcu Hibiscus Tea - 60 gr

Mumcu hibiscus tea is a 60 g pack of dried hibiscus flowers for brewing at home. It makes a deep ruby red infusion with a tart, fruity taste, somewhere between cranberry and redcurrant, and it is naturally free from caffeine.

What hibiscus is

The tea is made from the dried calyces of the roselle plant, Hibiscus sabdariffa, the fleshy red cups that hold the flower's seed pod. In Turkey it is sold as hibiskus or Mekke gülü. Across the Middle East and North Africa the same drink is known as karkadeh, and in West Africa and the Caribbean as bissap or sorrel. Each region drinks it a little differently, hot or cold, sweet or plain.

Mumcu is a Turkish brand of loose herbal tea, spices and dried fruit, and its range on our shelves includes rose, apple, lemon balm and winter teas. Check the pack for origin and the best before date.

How to brew hibiscus tea

Hot

1. Put one to two teaspoons of dried hibiscus in a cup or teapot.
2. Pour over freshly boiled water.
3. Leave to steep for five to seven minutes, then strain.
4. Add honey or sugar to taste if you find it too sharp.

The colour appears almost at once, but the flavour needs a few minutes to develop. A longer steep gives a stronger, more sour cup.

Use a glass or china cup if you can. Hibiscus can stain light plastic and some metals, and the colour is part of the pleasure of the drink. If you are brewing a large pot for guests, scale up to a small handful of flowers per litre and taste after five minutes before adding more.

Cold

Hibiscus makes an excellent iced tea. Brew a strong pot, sweeten while hot, then cool and chill. Serve over ice with slices of orange or lemon and a few mint leaves. For a gentler flavour, cold brew the flowers in a jug of water in the fridge overnight, then strain.

Flavour pairings

• A cinnamon stick and a few cloves in winter.
• Fresh ginger slices for warmth.
• Apple tea or dried apple pieces for sweetness.
• Rose petals for a floral note.
• Orange peel and a little honey.

You can also use cooled hibiscus tea as a base for fruit punch or in a jelly, where it gives a natural deep red colour. Some cooks reduce strong hibiscus tea with sugar into a syrup for drizzling over yoghurt or ice cream.

A note on drinking it

Hibiscus tea contains no caffeine, so you can drink it in the evening. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication for blood pressure or have a medical condition, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before drinking herbal teas regularly.

How far a 60 g pack goes

Dried hibiscus is light, so 60 g goes further than it looks. At one to two teaspoons a cup, the pack makes plenty of cups, and a strong iced tea jug needs only a small handful.

Storage

Keep the flowers in an airtight container away from light, heat and moisture. Stored well, they keep their colour and sharpness until the best before date.

Order Mumcu tea online

Robin Food delivers across the UK, with same-day delivery available in many London areas. Explore the range with Mumcu Winter Tea and Mumcu Rose Tea, or try Doğadan Rosehip Tea for another fruity, tart cup.