Turkish Hibiscus Tea (Karkadeh) – Whole Dried Hibiscus Petals

Karkadeh is the Arabic name for what English speakers call hibiscus tea: the deep-red dried petals of Hibiscus sabdariffa, brewed into a vivid ruby infusion with a tart, cranberry-like bite. This is the loose, whole-petal form — no tea bags, no powder, no flavoring, just dried hibiscus. Naturally caffeine-free, it pours as easily at midnight as at breakfast.

Hot brew: use 1–2 teaspoons of petals per cup (240 ml). Pour just-boiled water over them, cover, and steep 5–10 minutes — closer to 5 for a balanced cup, longer for a deeper, sharper one. Strain and sweeten to taste. In Egypt and the Gulf, karkadeh is traditionally served well sweetened; many drinkers elsewhere take it plain or with honey and a squeeze of lime.

Egyptian-style iced karkadeh: the patient method. Soak about 1 tablespoon of petals per cup of cool water, refrigerate overnight, then strain and sweeten. Cold steeping draws out the same deep red color with a smoother, gentler tartness — the pitcher drink poured over ice through Egyptian summers and sipped hot in winter. In a hurry? Brew it hot and double-strength, sweeten while warm, chill, and pour over ice.

Because these are whole petals rather than cut-and-sifted pieces, they strain cleanly and leave very little sediment in the glass. The same flower goes by many names — agua de jamaica in Mexico, sorrel in the Caribbean, hibiskus çayı in Turkish bazaars — so one bag covers a world of recipes, from iced teas to syrups and mocktails.

Sizes: 100 g, 250 g, and 500 g of loose dried petals. Store airtight, away from light and moisture. One practical note: hibiscus stains — brew in glass or metal, not plastic.