There are different categories of people when it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day. Some love it, some hate it and some make fun of it. I fall in a different group, the one with folks who like to celebrate any day that calls for yummy food, good drinks and quality time with your loved ones! And irrespective of the occasion falling on a weekend or a busy weekday, our kind figures out some way to make it special. I cherish this day, which is celebrated all across the globe where every one is speaking one single language - Love! The day is filled with chocolates, champagne, roses, love notes, kisses and the world is painted red.
Keeping in mind the color of love, I have this sexy red, flavorful hibiscus syrup for you. Drizzle a little on fruit or salad vinaigrette, swirl it on ice cream or yogurt and on a special evening, stir it with your choice of alcohol and get a little tipsy.
Our Valentine’s Day was like any other busy weekday except with more yumminess involved. There was a grown up version of mac and cheese for lunch, a citrusy cocktail and gnocchi with basil pesto for dinner followed by late night chocolate fudge cake. Eating out would have been more relaxing but then again, who likes to spend a romantic evening in a crowded restaurant. While he was busy at work, I stayed active in my tiny kitchen preparing our favorites.
Good homemade syrup always comes handy. It’s easy to make and you can flavor it the way you like. I added some ginger, lemon peels and couple of star anise in it. As it boiled, the color got darker, it released the flavor and in about 15 minutes or so, I had a bottle of hibiscus syrup ready to be used.
Hibiscus Syrup
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- ¾ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- 1 inch ginger (finely grated)
- 2 whole star anise
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup sugar (add more if you like it sweeter)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a deep pan, mix all the ingredients and bring it to a boil.
- Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, cover it with a lid and let it steep for 5 more minutes.
- Strain it through a sieve and store the syrup in an airtight bottle.
Nutrition
Did you ever make hibiscus syrup? If yes, where did you use it later? I am looking for more ideas, please share with me if you have any!
Kitchen Belleicious
the color is just beautiful! So elegant and rich and yet sweet! LOVE
erin @ yummy supper
Kankana, I love that you look at Valentine's day as an excuse for deliciousness! Perfect. And your hibiscus syrup is brilliant. The addition of citrus and ginger... sounds divine.
xxoo
E
wok with ray
I am definitely with you on that, Kankana. I love any day and celebrations that involve good food, and fun and that's the way life should be. Your photography is stunningly gorgeous. I hope you are having a wonderful week, Kankana! 🙂
Cookin Canuck
I like the way you think...celebrating Valentine's Day with good food and drinks. This syrup and that drink are gorgeous!
Priya
Kankana, the syrup looks so so beautiful! Stunning colour. And great pics too! Love all of them 🙂
chinmayie @ love food eat
This is absolutely gorgeous!! Love the color of the syrup 🙂
There is a restaurant in Auroville Pondicherry which serves hibiscus soda and my husband loves it. Never thought about making it at home. Where did you buy the dried hibiscus petals?
Kankana Saxena
Thanks Chinmayie 🙂 I fond it in a middle eastern store. I am not sure if you can find it in India but I know this flower is very popular in India. So I guess you can always dry it and then use it for syrup. Or you can also look for the dried ones online in Amazon.
Julia
This is absolutely gorgeous! I make homemade kombucha and have made a few simple syrups in order to flavor it. I've never made anything using hibiscus, though I've had store-bought hibiscus tea and love it! I'm going to make your recipe and flavor my kombucha with it! Thanks for the handy dandy recipe!
Eva
So stunning! I love your photography, such a beautiful style. I've been wanting to make hibiscus syrup for a while but lack a hibiscus plant. My neighbor down the street has one, however, and I am tempted to ask them if I can have a few of their dried up blossoms so I can give this a try.
Kankana Saxena
I too hope you find some from your neighbors! And thanks so much for you kind words. I am a huge fan of your photography.
Abbe@ThisIsHowICook
Sounds great. You can find dried hibiscus flowers also in many Mexican groceries. I think this would be great to flavor ice tea. How long will it keep?
Kankana Saxena
Thanks Abbe 🙂 I never make any syrup in a huge quantity so it usually finishes faster. It should stay good for few weeks in the refrigerator and if frozen, probably it will last even longer.
Jenn@TheNoshingBride
What an adorable gift idea! Lovely photos by the way. Can I ask what type of light source you're using?
Kankana Saxena
Thank you Jenn 🙂 I shoot only by the window in day light!
Melissa Ross
What a great gift idea...my girlfriends would love this! Is there somewhere you can buy dried hibicus flowers? How long do you think this would keep? I can't wait to try this...would be so yummy over so many different things. I can't wait to try.
Kankana Saxena
I bought it from a near by middle eastern store. I don't think it's very difficult to find and you can always look for it in amazon! I am so glad you liked it 🙂 I usually make small batches and keep it for couple of weeks maximum. Never kept beyond that!
Jess
I love the color of that syrup, and I'm so curious about the flavor! Fantastic idea for a drink!
sulagna
Kankana this is beautiful..i have never heard of this but so want to try it..perhaps the baby's Gerber bottles will come to use now 🙂
Kankana Saxena
ha ha ha that would make a nice prop 🙂
Nonie
We make a hibiscus syrup several times a year for drinks. I have used the syrup as a glaze for fish and pork. That is delightful! I have come up with desserts like poached or baked fruit or a topping for ice cream and add just a little for color and slight flavour to whipping cream. Thank you for sharing and posting your lovely pics.
Kankana Saxena
I love your idea of using it with fish. That's what I will do tonight! Thanks a lot Nonie 🙂
Liren
Incredible! I can't get over the stunning color, and I can just taste the cocktail! So beautiful! I'm glad you had such a delicious Valentine's Day 🙂
Mallika
We had many hibiscus plants around our bunglow long ago. But they flowers always made it to dress the Gods and Goddesses, they never made it to our dining tables! I have never heard about this syrup. The pictures are brilliant Kankana.
Kankana Saxena
yeah, it's a tradition in my parent's house too. My dad loved gardening and has several pots of hibiscus flowers of different colors, which gets offered to god every morning 🙂
rebecca
love it creative recipe and going to restaurants is crazy at valentines so busy, Hope your well hugs Rebecca
Pauline
Hibiscus Syrup is amazing with champagne. Pour small amount of syrup in bottom of a fluted glass and top with champagne. YUM!!
Your syrup looks wonderful!
Kankana Saxena
Thanks! I will try with champagne next time 🙂
nipponnin
What a gorgeous color! I like the bottle too. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day.
Usha
Kankana, Very creative and appealing presentation of Hibiscus syrup. I have never made syrup but my mother used to make hibiscus oil by boiling fresh/ dried hibiscus flowers in oil, that is remedy for hair growth. Some times hibiscus and Brahmi leaves were combined to make oil.
Here locally (NC)many ladies save hibiscus flowers in summer to make oil...Last year I missed, going to do this summer.
Thanks for sharing this post.
Usha.
Kankana Saxena
I have horrible hair. I definitely should try the oil. So which oil should I use ?
Usha
Kankana,
I will suggest you to use pure coconut oil.You can first try making with 2 cups of oil..give first preference to fresh red color hibiscus flowers (original desi color), if you don't find go with dry ones. You can use one cup full coarse dry crushed flowers, for more benefits add 1 heaped tbsp soaked methi seeds, grind it to paste. Mix everything in oil, slow boil for 10-15 minutes, later simmer over low heat for 25-30 minutes.( You can use slow cooker too, but do it without closing lid, let it go for 2 hours on high or more time on low setting). Let oil sit in pot for one or two days, then filter using coffee filter or cloth. You will experience not so pleasant aroma so apply on a restful day, leave for few hours before washing hairs.
I will be doing few experiments this summer, I will let you know.Look for "eclipta alba" (Maka or Bhringraj)in google for more hair benefits.