Senegalese recipe
How to make Bissap
bissap
All of Senegal, and much of West Africa
The most popular drink in Senegal: a deep red, sweet and slightly sour juice made from the dried flowers of the roselle hibiscus, often flavoured with mint or orange blossom and served ice cold.
Ingredients
- 80 g dried hibiscus flowers (roselle, sold as bissap, sorrel or flor de jamaica)
- 1.5 litres water
- 150 to 200 g sugar, to taste
- A few sprigs of fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water or vanilla (optional)
Method
- Rinse the dried flowers in cold water to remove any dust.
- Bring the water to the boil, add the flowers and mint, then turn off the heat and leave to steep for 15 minutes (or soak overnight in cold water for a gentler taste).
- Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the flowers, and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Add the orange blossom water if you like.
- Chill well and serve cold, with ice.
Made it at home? Tick it off and it goes into your kitchen passport.
Other favourite homemade juices are bouye, from the fruit of the baobab tree, and a fiery ginger drink called gingembre.
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