The roselle plant with its fat burgundy colored “flowers” is eye-catching whether seen in an open field or in the market. I knew of them as something used for the brewing of soothing herbal teas and this put them firmly outside my area of culinary interest.
With the arrival of autumnal weather, roselle plants have been popping up in the fallow paddy fields, bright like rubies against the emerald green of the wild grass and yellow of sun hemp. They are popular as a garden plant as well, but there is a limit to how much soothing tea it is possible to drink and generous gifts from neighbors got me thinking about using them in desserts to replace berries (which, apart from strawberries, are generally expensive and/or frozen imports).
My first discovery was that the making of roselle drinks, jams and sauces has a long and diverse history, from a beverage in the Caribbean and Mexico, to a popular choice for jam making in Queensland, Australia. I was hardly on virgin turf, but with the plant in such abundance, it could do no harm to give this often unregarded food a little more exposure.
Photo: Ian Bartholomew
My next discovery was what I had thought of as flowers were in fact nothing of the sort. They are in fact the calyx or seed pod of the plant. The seed inside is not often eaten, but is a rich source of pectin, and can contribute to making a good gel in roselle jam without the need for too much extra sugar.
The plant goes by a wide variety of names, most commonly wild hibiscus, a slightly misleading shortening from its scientific name of Hibiscus sabdariffa (it should be noted that it is quite a different animal for the hibiscus flower, of which there are many hundreds of varieties; this is the only edible one), as well as Florida cranberry, flor de Jamaica, Jamaica sorrel, Indian sorrel, Guinea sorrel, and Queensland jelly plant.
In Taiwan, roselle is sold in processed form, dried, dehydrated or candied, and I have only very occasionally seen it sold fresh in markets. My own pet theory on this is that its strong health food associations tend to make it something of a niche product. The health credentials of roselle calyces are impressive, with extensive literature on its benefits to ameliorate hypertension, and on its high levels of antioxidants. It is rich in calcium, niacin, riboflavin and iron. But be that as it may, its tartness makes it excellent for use in sweet desserts or even as a basis for sauces served with pork or poultry, not to mention its gorgeous color, which adds vitality to any dish it graces.
Photo: Ian Bartholomew
Super simple lemon pancakes with honey yogurt
and roselle syrup (Serves 4).
Once the roselle syrup is made, this dish can be whipped up
in next to no time for breakfast or a snack.
Recipe
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
3 large eggs (separated), 115g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda, 140ml milk
zest of one lemon, a pinch of salt
FILLING
Natural yogurt (preferably home-made)
A good quality honey
TOPPING
100g cleaned roselle calyces (retain the seed pods)
60g white sugar (This is a minimal amount already producing a very tart syrup. This amount can be doubled or even tripled if something sweeter is preferred.)
400 ml water
Directions
First make the topping:
1. Prepare the roselle by peeling away the “petals” of the calyx and remove the seed pod.
2. Put the seed pod in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes, so the liquid has reduced by about one-third. The aim is to extract the pectin from the pods. Discard the pods and reserve the water.
3. Put sugar and about 250ml of water strained from the pod in a large pot and heat until sugar has dissolved. Add calyces and high simmer until the fruit is soft but retains its shape and a syrup begins to form.
4. Allow to cool.
Then make the pancakes:
1. Separate the eggs, putting the whites into one bowl and the yolks into another.
2. Add the flour, baking soda and milk to the yolks and mix to a smooth thick batter.
3. Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks.
4. Fold into the batter.
5. Place a dollop in a well-oiled fry pan and cook for one minute each side until golden.
Finally, put it all together:
Sandwich two or three pancakes with yogurt and honey on each plate and then drizzle with roselle “petals” and syrup.
Ian Bartholomew runs Ian’s Table, a small guesthouse in Hualien. He has lived in Taiwan for many years writing about the food scene and has decided that until you look at farming, you know nothing about the food you eat. He can be contacted at Hualien202@gmail.com
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