The season for chilled drinks is almost here. How about a recipe for one of my all-time favorite refreshing drinks?
Bissap or Foléré as it's called in Cameroon, has become a must-have in my kitchen. I also always Bissap juice for my students, and it has consistently won them over. Whether enjoyed straight or mixed with water, hot or cold, Bissap is simply delicious.
A few months ago, an acquaintance of mine, who comes from Senegal, showed me this recipe. I was visiting her, and she offered me a glass of bissap, asking if I was familiar with it. "Of course I know bissap," I replied. "In Cameroon, we call it foléré." But when I tasted her bissap, I was immediately captivated by its flavor, so I asked her what was in it. She told me that her ingredients were simply bissap blossoms, fresh mint leaves, and sugar. I was truly amazed at how good it tasted with so few ingredients. She also added that she doesn't cook her bissap in the usual way; instead, she simply pours boiling water over the blossoms and mint leaves and then lets them cool and infuse slowly for several hours. The advantage of this method is that the blossoms don't need to be cooked for too long. Thanks to this trick, the juice isn't too sour, and you need significantly less sugar to give the drink the necessary sweetness. This truly fantastic idea immediately captivated me!
I've already dedicated an entire post to the benefits of the Bissap plant, also known as Roselle/Hibicus sabdariffa Saveurs d'Afrik when my supply, which I brought back from Cameroon, starts to run low. It's simply the perfect drink for hot days, especially with its minty notes, which give it a unique refreshment. Why not give it a try yourself?
The whole thing as a video
And for download…
Jus de Bissap/Foléré Rapide | Express Bissap Juice
Ingredients
- 50 g Bissap flower
- approx. 1 liter of water
- 3-4 tablespoons of sugar
- approx. 40 g fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Place the bissap blossom in a sieve, rinse briefly under cold water, and transfer to a bowl. Rinse the mint leaves as well and add them to the blossoms
- Meanwhile, bring about one liter of water to a boil, pour it over the flower, cover, and let it steep overnight
- Then pour it through a sieve, fill it into a bottle, leave it in the refrigerator for a few hours and enjoy it cold!
