Roselle Drink & Roselle Jam

1 liter of roselle concentrate =

200g of fresh roselle calyx +

1 liter of water +

5 tablespoon of sugar 

200 ml of roselle jam =

200g of fresh roselle calyx +

5 tablespoon of sugar

In Malaysia, roselle drink ( made from Hibiscus sabdariffa ) is often erroneously referred to Ribena, which is actually a popular brand of non-carbonated soft drink made from blackcurrant ( Ribes nigrum ).

It is actually called ‘agua de Flor de Jamaica’  ( water flavored with roselle ) in Mexico ; ‘sorrel’ in Guyana, Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago ; ‘saril’ in Panama ; ‘karkadé’ in Egypt, Sudan ; ‘bissop’ in Senegal ; ‘wanjo’ in Gambia ; ‘dabileni’ in Mali ; ‘zobo’ in Nigeria ; ‘carcadè’ in Europe ; etc

A roselle drink is prepared from the red calyx ( sepals ).  After blooming, the calyx expanded to cover the actual fruit.   The calyx is removed and washed, then boiled in water for several minutes.  Lesser quantity of water is used to prepare a more concentrated cordial for ease of storage.   The calyx is then removed, and sugar is added to the red infusion.  The drink is best consumed chilled.

The calyx is then mashed and added with sugar to made into roselle jam.    It is slightly  acidic, thus more sugar is required.  No preservative required.

Pumpkin Rice 金瓜饭

First, mince 5 cloves of garlic and 100g  pork.  Then, cut half pumpkin into 2cmx2cm cubes.  Cook rice separately.

Heat up the wok, first sauté the garlic, then the minced pork.   

Put in all the cubed pumpkin, stir a bit.  Pour in water to cover the pumpkin, when the water is boil, reduce to middle flame.

Simmer the pumpkin till the water is reduced.  By then, the pumpkin should had softened and cooked.  Add in a generous amount of salt and pepper to taste.  Turn off the stove.

Add in the cooked rice into the wok, stir to mix.

It’s a bit sticky, yet deliciously sweet and savory.  Can have it on its own, as a single dish meal, or have it with other dish.  

Best to serve hot.

豆腐羹 Tofu Soup

Soft tofu  水豆腐 – 1 piece

Crab stick  蟹柳 –  4 piece

Egg 鸡蛋 – 2 piece

Oyster/Button mushroom – 蘑菇 100 g

Mince pork  猪肉碎 – 100 g

Carrot  红萝卜 – ½ piece

Garlic 蒜头 – 3 cloves

Corn flour  薯粉 – 3 tablespoon

Shaoxing rice wine  绍兴酒

Salt  食盐

Black pepper powder  黑胡椒粉

First, slice the crab sticks into ±3mm thick, julienne the carrot, and mince the mushroom and garlic.  Keep all aside.

On a wok, heat up some 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, sauté the mince garlic until fragrant.  Then stir in the mince pork.

Once the pork is almost cooked, pour in 1 soup-bowl of water.  When the water is boil, put in the sliced crab sticks, minced carrot and julienned carrot, bring to boil.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix the corn flour with some water.  

When the soup is boil, stir in the beaten egg.  Straight after that, stir in the corn flour.  The corn flour will thicken the soup.

Finally, add some Shaoxing rice wine, salt and pepper to taste.