Ghanaian Bissap (Hibiscus Juice)

Ingredients

• 2 units Oranges (unpeeled, washed, sliced into rounds)
• 2 units Lemons (unpeeled, washed, sliced into rounds)
• 1 unit Fresh pineapple (washed, ends cut off, flesh diced, peels retained for infusion)
• 100 g Fresh ginger (unpeeled, thinly sliced)
• 30 g Dried hibiscus flowers (for infusion, characteristic red colour)
• 15 g Selim seeds (Gras de Selim) (lightly smoked aromatic spice)
• 10 g Dried chilies (adds a hint of heat)
• 5 g Black peppercorns (whole)
• 15 g Cloves (whole, about 10 cloves)
• 4 units Cinnamon sticks (whole sticks)
• 1.5 cups Brown sugar (optional, adjust to taste)
• 3.5 liters Water (filtered or spring water)

Instructions

1. Washing fruits and spices

   Thoroughly rinse the pineapple, oranges, lemons and ginger under cold water, scrubbing with a clean sponge. Also rinse the hibiscus flowers to remove impurities.

   Time: PT5M

2. Preparing the pineapple

   Cut off both ends of the pineapple, then dice the flesh. Keep the peels for the infusion.

   Time: PT7M

3. Place pineapple peels in the pot

   Place the pineapple peels in a clean large pot.

   Time: PT1M

4. Add pineapple flesh

   Add the pineapple dice to the same pot.

   Time: PT3M

5. Blending the peels (optional)

   Pour ½ to 1 cup of water into the blender, add the pineapple peels and blend until a smooth paste forms. Transfer the mixture to the pot.

   Time: PT5M

6. Add oranges

   Slice the oranges into rounds (without peeling) and add them to the pot.

   Time: PT3M

7. Add lemons

   Slice the lemons into rounds (without peeling) and add them to the pot.

   Time: PT3M

8. Add ginger

   Thinly slice the fresh ginger (unpeeled) and incorporate it into the pot.

   Time: PT2M

9. Add spices and hibiscus

   Add the dried hibiscus flowers, the 15 g of Selim seeds, the 10 g of dried chilies, the peppercorns, the cloves, and the 4 cinnamon sticks.

   Time: PT2M

10. Add water

    Pour 3.5 L of filtered water into the pot, stir well.

    Time: PT1M

11. Cooking

    Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Skim off any foam that forms on the surface.

    Time: PT45M

    Temperature: medium

12. Cooling

    Remove the pot from heat and let the liquid cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes.

    Time: PT30M

13. Filtering the juice

    Pass the mixture through a fine sieve (or strainer) once, then repeat the process a second time to remove spice and fruit residues.

    Time: PT5M

14. Sweetening (optional)

    Add 1.5 cups of brown sugar (or your preferred sweetener) to the filtered juice and stir until fully dissolved.

    Time: PT3M

15. Bottling and refrigeration

    Pour the bissup into a pitcher or plastic/glass bottles. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, or keep chilled for up to 5 days.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

150

Protein

0 g

Carbohydrates

35 g

Fat

0 g

Fiber

1 g