Egyptian hibiscus drink (Karkadé)

1. Rinse the dried hibiscus flowers quickly with cold water in a sieve.

2. Bring the water to the boil in a pan, take off the heat and add the hibiscus.

3. Cover and leave to steep for 10-15 minutes until deep crimson.

4. Strain through a fine sieve, squeezing the flowers, and dissolve the sugar in the still-warm drink.

5. Add the lemon juice and more sugar to taste.

6. Serve hot as a tea, or chilled with ice cubes as a cold drink.

Tip: Karkadé is the national drink of Egypt and Sudan: it's drunk hot in winter and ice-cold in summer, and it's used for toasts at weddings and celebrations. Its tangy, berry-like flavour is reminiscent of cranberry. If you want it cold, you can also steep it in cold water in the fridge overnight, which makes it even fruitier.