Zobo Hibiscus Cooler — Nigeria
A deep ruby hibiscus and tamarind cooler with warming spices — Nigeria's beloved zobo drink for World Cup 2026 watch parties.
By Larry Leo | Prep: | Servings: 1 | Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup dried hibiscus flowers (zobo leaves)
- 1 oz tamarind concentrate (or paste dissolved in water)
- 2 oz coconut water
- 0.5 oz raw cane sugar syrup (demerara)
- 1 whole star anise
- 3 whole allspice berries
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- Ice cubes
- Orange wheel and mint sprig, for garnish
Instructions
- Steep the dried hibiscus flowers in 4 oz of hot water with the star anise, allspice berries, and cinnamon stick for 15-20 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer, pressing the flowers to extract all the liquid. Discard solids.
- Let the hibiscus concentrate cool to room temperature (or chill in the fridge).
- In a tall glass, combine 3 oz of the hibiscus concentrate with tamarind concentrate, coconut water, and sugar syrup.
- Stir well until the tamarind and sugar are fully dissolved.
- Fill the glass with ice and stir again.
- Garnish with an orange wheel and a fresh mint sprig.
- Serve — the deep ruby color is absolutely stunning.
Category: world-cup-2026
Tags: nigeria, world-cup, hibiscus, zobo, tamarind, ruby, west-african, super-eagles, spiced