Enjoy this caffeine free herbal hibiscus tea that comes with a zing of lemon. It is a zero calorie refreshing drink that could instantly rejuvenate your system with a different taste and catchy color. It is also an attractive choice for an instant tea party that would amaze anyone with its health benefits.
Table Of Contents
1. Recipe Excerpt
2. An Introduction On Hibiscus Chai
3. The Vast Gastronomy Of India
4. A Glimpse Into Hibiscus Chai
5. Ingredients To Make Hibiscus Chai
6. Cooked Directions
7. Some Useful Ideas To Make Best Hibiscus Chai
8. Nutritional Value
An Introduction On Hibiscus Chai:
Hibiscus Chai, popularly called as Gudhal Ki Chai, is a herbal concoction brewed by an infusion of hibiscus petals with some added sweetener like sugar or honey. With a unique flavor, this herbal tea replenishes the body with its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is one of the ancient herbal tea varieties that has been in vogue since several decades and consumed by many people as a revitalizing beverage. The flavor of this hibiscus chai is enhanced with a few drops of lemon or a pinch of cinnamon powder and can be taken cold too. With a few ice cubes on top and some julienne zest of lemon this hibiscus chai would taste heavenly.
A Word On The Vast Gastronomy Of India:
India's varied culinary landscape is so vast that we cannot comprehend the full length and breadth of it in one go. Because it includes the invention, discovery, fusion, innovation, adaptation and amalgamation of innumerable food cultures across and beyond the national borders which leads to the emergence of umpteen number of dishes each day. While talking particularly about beverages, we can never overlook the herbal choices that Indian cuisine has to offer. We have plenty of herbal concoctions make of aromatic spices, herbs, fresh and dried flowers, tree barks, leaves and even roots.
A Glimpse Of Hibiscus Chai:
A subtle tea made of hibiscus flowers, that comes with a mild tart flavor is packed with nutrients and anti-oxidants that could offer a lot of health benefits while taken regularly. It is a well known fact that it could lower the blood pressure but little we did know that it can also reduce anxiety, mood swings and has a soothing effect on our mind. It helps in gradual weight loss besides aiding in nourishing the skin as the vitamin C present in hibiscus helps in the production of natural collagen. Moreover, it helps in treating heart and nerve disorders and many of us could remember our parents and grandparents just plucking up a fresh hibiscus flower and munching it while gardening.
Here comes the recipe of Hibiscus chai that comes from the treasure of our ancestors trove...
Ingredients Required To Make Hibiscus Chai:
Steps To Make Hibiscus Chai:
Heat a kettle and pour in two cups of water. When it comes to a boil, just lower the flame and drop in the hibiscus petals after washing it well. Let it boil in low flame for about five minutes approximately.
When the essence of the hibiscus petals gets steeped in, add a teaspoon of sugar and stir in. Turn off the flame and pour it into a glass using a tea filter. Tip in a few drops of lemon and serve hot on a rainy noon.
Some Useful Ideas To Make The Best Hibiscus Chai:
1. There are many versions of making hibiscus chai and using fresh flowers would be an ideal option. Take a fresh flower and remove the green stalk and tear out the petals one by one and wash gently before use.
2. In case, if you do not get fresh flowers, you can use hibiscus powder that is available at all organic stores.
3. You can top up the tea with one or two basil leaves for a nice aroma.
4. You can make this hibiscus tea either hot or cold. If you prepare it hot, turn off the flame and add sugar, palm candy or jaggery and if you want to make chilled hibiscus tea, use honey.
5. The color of the hibiscus chai may vary depending upon the shades of the flower we use. Some flowers give a mild red color while some others give a deep crimson tinge.
6. You can also go without any sweetener if you wish to enjoy the tartness and tanginess of the raw hibiscus tea. I usually go that way.
7. You can garnish the hibiscus chai in any way you generally do with infused tea of any kind.
8. Salted biscuit goes well with hibiscus chai and use transparent glass cups for serving.
FAQs:
1. How many flowers we need to make one glass of hibiscus chai?
Just two or three hibiscus flowers will suffice to make one glass of mild hibiscus chai.
2. Will the color be as intense as it shows in the images if we use fresh flowers?
No. It wouldn't be as dark crimson red as it is shown in the pictures generally. It would be lighter than that. And it also depends on the color and the number of the flowers you use. But when you use hibiscus powder you will get a deep red color.
3. Will a chilled hibiscus chai taste equally good?
Yes, of course. You will have enjoy a subtle tart flavor of hibiscus and to have more zing just drop in one or two ice cubes made of lemon zest. For making lemon ice cubes, just go through recipe of Lemon Zest Ice Cubes.ive
4. Can You please give a tip as how to serve it presentably?
Place some colorful dried flowers in the salver where you have arranged the tea cups and choose a transparent kettle that goes with the cups. Spread some assorted biscuits in the next row in a semi circle shape.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat a kettle and pour in two cups of water. When it comes to a boil, just lower the flame and drop in the hibiscus petals after washing it well. Let it boil in low flame for about five minutes approximately.
When the essence of the hibiscus petals gets steeped in, add a teaspoon of sugar and stir in. Turn off the flame and pour it into a glass using a tea filter. Tip in a few drops of lemon and serve hot on a rainy noon.
