Simple Agua de Jamaica

Ingredients

• 2 cup dried hibiscus flowers (also known as flor de Jamaica)
• 8 cup water (divided)
• 0.75 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• ice (for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil.

2. 2

   Add the 2 cups of dried hibiscus flowers to the boiling water and stir briefly.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat and let the flowers simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes to create a concentrated tea.

4. 4

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the mixture steep and cool for at least 30 minutes to an hour for maximum flavor.

5. 5

   Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher, discarding the spent hibiscus flowers.

6. 6

   Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water to the pitcher.

7. 7

   Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter drink.

8. 8

   Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Serve in glasses over plenty of ice.

Notes

You can add a cinnamon stick or a slice of ginger to the boiling water for extra depth of flavor. If the tea is too strong, simply dilute with more water.

Nutrition per serving

• drink
• beverage
• mexican
• agua fresca
• hibiscus
• vegetarian
• vegan
• gluten-free