How To Make Zobo Drink Comfortably At Home (VIDEO)

Zobo drink can be a very good alternative drink to serve yourself, guest or family when considering the present high cost of beverages.

Zobo drink is one the favorite and popular drinks across many countries in West Africa.

If you have ever wanted to try something from a different culture or if you are a foodie looking for new recipes, this tasty and popular drink is a great place to start because it is quick and very easy to make.

Here are steps and directions to make your own Zobo drink

See the ingredients to the recipe below.

Ingredients

• 3 cups ZOBO leaves
• 1 large pineapple
• 15 cups water
• Sweetener

Additional ingredients

• 1 cup grated ginger
• 2 lemon grass
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 large cucumbers
• 3 oranges
• 10-15 cloves
• Sugar to taste
• Pineapple peel

STEP 1: Selecting Your Ingredients

Buy some red sorrel or roselle hibiscus leaves

In this first step of making Zobo drink you have to buy some quantity of dried hibiscus leaves (sorrel or roselle) from market or local supermarket. Make sure you get red sorrel, not white sorrel, for this drink.

The red sorrel or roselle are also called zobo leaves.

Selecting a ripe pineapple

When looking for a pineapple at the store, make sure to get a ripe pineapple. The skin should be more yellow and orange than green, since this will result in a better flavored drink.

Choose your favorite sweetener.

There are different kinds of sweetener in the market. For example, agave nectar, cane syrup, or cane sugar will work. You can also make this drink without a sweetener for a sugar-free, low-calorie alternative.

The decision to use or not to use sweetener depends on you.

STEP 2: Adding and cooking the ingredients

Choose you pot size:

The size of pot to use depends on the amount of the drink you want to make. For a small amount of Zobo drink, such as for 2-4 people, you can use a saucepan. For a larger quantity, you can use a bigger pot.

Remove the pineapple skin.

Cut off the crown of the pineapple. Cut off the base, then cut the pineapple in half to make it easier to work with. Slice vertically down around the perimeter of the pineapple to get rid of the skin.

Dice the pineapple

After cutting the pineapple in half, cut each slice in half again. Then, cut each of the 2 new pieces into medium sized chunks.

Put the ingredients into a pot

Pour the sorrel leaves into a pot. Fill it up halfway, then add the pineapple chunks. Finally, add just enough water to cover the leaves.

Let the mixture boil for half an hour

After about 30 minutes, or once the mixture starts to bubble over, turn off the heat. You should notice the dark purple-red color of the drink at this point. Let the drink cool down to room temperature.

It should take approximately another 30 minutes for the drink to cool.

Drain the juice to remove the solids

Drain the juice through a sieve, colander, cheese cloth, or anything you have that can separate the liquid from the solid parts. Wring out any remaining juices in the sorrel and pineapple mixture with your hand.

Use a glove to keep your hands clean and avoid stains on your skin. Zobo is bright red!

Add your sweetener and refrigerate the drink

Add your sweetener of choice (optional), then stir the mixture well. Refrigerate it or add ice if you desire a cold drink. Enjoy!

It is important to note that you can also use combination of fruits such as orange, cucumber, pineapple and ginger without cooking them and also as sweetener.

Watch the video below to learn more.