Roselle juice

Bottles of sobolo
Alternative names	Bissap, sobolo, sorrel
Serving temperature	Cold
Main ingredients	Roselle flowers, water, sugar
Variations	Ginger

Roselle juice, known as bissap, wonjo, foléré, dabileni, tsobo, zobo, siiloo or sobolo in parts of Africa,^[1] sorrel in the Caribbean, and agua de Jamaica in Mexico, is a drink made out of the flowers of the roselle plant, a species of Hibiscus. Although generally the "juice" is sweetened and chilled, it is technically an infusion and when served hot can also be referred to as hibiscus tea.^[2][3][4]

Description

Roselle juice, often taken refrigerated, is a cool drink found in many West African countries and the Caribbean.^[5][6] It is a dark red-purple coloured juice. The Burkinabes, Senegalese, and Ivorians call it bissap, the Nigerians call it zobo while the Ghanaians call it Zobolo.^[7] It tastes a bit grapey and a little like cranberry juice and can be served with mint leaves.^[1] It can also be served with any flavouring of one's choice — sometimes with orange essence or ginger, pineapple juice, tea grass, vanilla, and many others. In Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, roselle juice is served cold, while in Egypt, it is served warm.^[2]

Preparation

Roselle juice is prepared with water, bissap flowers, sugar and sometimes other flavouring ingredients such as ginger.

• Wash your bissap flowers in clean water.
• Either pour boiling water over the flowers, or put flowers into water and allow to boil, or soak in water overnight.
• If mixing with tea grass, you can boil together with the leaves.
• If using boiling method, remove from fire.
• Drain with a strainer to separate flowers from flavoured water.
• Sweeten to taste with sugar (if not using pineapple juice).
• Allow to cool before adding other ingredients.
• You may add pineapple juice and other ingredients at this point.
• Allow to cool if it is still hot, then refrigerate and serve.

Health benefits

Roselle juice, which acts as a diuretic, has been shown to regulate blood pressure and reduce hypertension.^[8] It also has high levels of vitamin C, so is used to treat the common cold and otherwise boost the immune system.^[4][2] Some studies have also shown antimicrobial activity.^[9]

Zobo drink

Dried hibiscus leaves

Zobo drink is a local beverage drink in Nigeria. It is made from dried hibiscus leaf and other ingredients.^[10] The drink is commonly sold in restaurants and on roadsides. Zobo drinks are served at parties occasions and it can be taken as family beverage drink. ^{[11][12][13][14]}

See also

• Hibiscus
• Roselle (plant)
• Hibiscus tea
• Hausa cuisine
• Nigerian cuisine

References

External links

• Video: How to make Sobolo