Zobo drink is a popular refreshing beverage loved and prepared by many Nigerians. It is prepared by boiling the dried roselle or sorrel leaves. Zobo drink is called by different names: Roselle drink, Hibiscus plant drink and Sorrel drink. You can make zobo drink for your small party, small gathering, for sell or just preserve in the fridge and enjoy whenever you wish to. Zobo plant , apart from the flowers, the green leaves are also very useful; the leaves are mostly used in the North to prepare soup and gote acha. Another way to enjoy zobo drink is to make fruit punch with it which I have made sometimes back; you can read the steps on how to make fruit punch with sorrel here.
There are numerous health benefits of zobo drink as well as the side effects, this popular drink is said to contain vitamin C, thiamine, calcium, fat, iron, carotenes fiber, phosphorous, riboflavin, and niacin. One of the side effects of zobo is that it is not good for pregnant women, especially during their first trimester as it can prevent the pregnancy and stimulate it at the wrong time. Though this is not yet proven and much research has not been carried yet, but it best to be on the safer side during ones early pregnancy.
Zobo drink is available all year round, it is cheap and very easy to prepare, whenever Im making this drink, I love to add some citrus fruit to it to boost the flavor, but you can few slices of pineapple fruits instead of citrus or some other fruits. You should also watch the quick video above on how to make zobo drink , it is really simple
Ingredient for zobo drink
- 2 cups of dried zobo leaves
- 1 small lemon or pineapple, diced
- 1 small ginger, diced
- 1 tablespoons vanilla flavour
- Sugar to taste
Ingredients for making zobo drink
Steps on how to make zobo drink
- Bring zobo leaves into a large bowl, add enough water to it and rinse up to two times to remove sand and dust.
- Add the rinsed leaf into a large pot and add enough water to cover it.
- Cut fresh ginger and lemon/lime into smaller slices and add to the zobo
- Place the zobo on heat to boil on medium heat for 20 minutes until the vibrant colour comes out.
- Once the dark red colour is out, take it off heat and leave to cool completely
- Strain using a fine strainer into another bowl and discard the cooked leaves, add sugar, vanilla flavour or any of your favourite sweetener and serve chilled
- Zobo drink is ready, I love to add some ice cubes to my zobo drink
How to make zobo drink with pictures
1. Bring zobo leaves into a large bowl, add enough water to it and rinse up to two times to remove sand and dust.
2. Add the rinsed leaf into a large pot and add enough water to cover it.
3. Cut fresh ginger and lemon/lime into smaller slices and add to the zobo
Making of zobo drink
4. Place the zobo on heat to boil on medium heat for 20 minutes until the vibrant colour comes out.
Let the zobo boil a little bit longer until the colour is out and fruit and ginger in it wilt away
5. Once the dark red colour is out, take it off heat and leave to cool completely
Leave to cool down before straining
6. Strain using a fine strainer into another bowl and discard the cooked leaves, add sugar, vanilla flavour or any of your favourite sweetener and serve chilled.
You can discard the leaves after straining out the juice
7. Zobo drink is ready, I love to add some ice cubes to my zobo drink
Place the zobo drink in the fridge for few hours
Zobo drink recipe
Zobo drink is best served chilled
