Jamaican Sorrel - Cut & Sifted, DRIED HERB

(Hibiscus sabdariffa) This tangy vegetable grows up to 1 foot tall and has edible lobed leaves. The stems are reddish. This vegetable is often prepared as a pickle or with chicken or mutton. Popular in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa (called Nalite saga in Oriya, Belchanda' among Nepalese, Tengamora among Assamese). In Thai it is know as KraJiabDaeng , som phor dee in Lao, Chaye-Torosh in Farsi, karkade in Arabic, Rosela in Indonesia, asam belanda in Malaysia. Another important edible part is the fleshy sepal (calyx), which is intense red and tastes acidic. Sometimes used as a cranberry substitute it is used to make jelly and juice. The leaves and young stems are eaten raw in salads or cooked as a vegetable. It is also known to be a mild laxative and mild diuretic. Jamaican Sorrel is a little known plant that originated in tropical West Africa. It is use as a Festive Christmas drink in Jamaica and the West Indies and many other countries. The red sepals and calyx from