Recipe

Africa🇨🇬 Republic of the CongoBrazzaville
Ngai Ngai
Congolese · easy · serves 6
prep 10 min · cook 20 min
~107 cal · 0g protein · 28g carbs · 0g fat (estimated, per serving)
🍽️
Glass of deep red hibiscus-sorrel juice
🇨🇬 Brazzaville
Ngai ngai — named for the sour roselle leaves and calyces — is a beloved Congolese drink from Brazzaville, brewed deep red and tart from hibiscus and lifted with ginger. Sweetened and served cold, it is the Republic of the Congo's refreshing answer to the tropical heat.
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Ingredients
Serves 6
2 cups dried hibiscus/sorrel (roselle)
8 cups water
2-inch fresh ginger, sliced
3/4 cup sugar
1 lime
Instructions
1
Simmer the hibiscus with the water and ginger for 20 minutes until deeply colored.
2
Strain out the petals and ginger, pressing to extract all the liquid.
3
Stir in the sugar and lime juice while warm until dissolved.
4
Chill thoroughly and serve over ice.
Brazzaville home tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination
📍
Brazzaville. A Congo River capital of fish steamed in leaves.
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Republic of the Congo. Congo River country of fish steamed in leaves.
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Africa. Fifty-four countries of tagines, stews, and fire-kissed grills.
The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.
👩‍🍳
Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker
Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →
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