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Papua New GuineaFlavors · Aswan
A dark-red drink made from dried hibiscus calyces steeped in water, with a tart flavor, sweetened and served cold or hot. In the Aswan region, among the Nubians, it is the welcome drink offered to arriving guests.
Traditional drink from Aswan
Also known as: Karkade, Karkadé, Karkadeeh, كركديه
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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Karkadeh — Aswan, Egypt
Karkadeh is made with the dried calyces of hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), left to steep in hot water. The drink turns dark red, has a tart flavor, and is usually sweetened. It can be served hot or cold, sometimes with lemon.
In southern Egypt, hibiscus thrives in the hot, dry climate of the Aswan region. Among the Nubians, karkadeh is known as the welcome drink, and in Aswan homes it is served to visitors. The region is known for the quality of its flowers.
In Nubian communities along the Nile, the calyces are harvested in November and laid out to dry on rooftops before going to market. After the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s and 1970s, many Nubian families moved to higher ground and began planting hibiscus instead of palm trees.
Karkadeh is drunk throughout Egypt and is common during Ramadan, when it appears at the breaking of the fast. The concentrated infusion is also used as a syrup for desserts.
Aswan
The welcome drink of Nubian communities in the Aswan region, where hibiscus is cultivated.
Dried hibiscus calyces, water and sugar; sometimes lemon.
Cold on hot days or hot, served in a glass as a welcome drink or with a meal.
Year-round; very present during Ramadan and when receiving guests.
Your questions
It’s a drink made by steeping dried hibiscus calyces; dark red and tart, usually sweetened. It is consumed throughout Egypt.
Both. Cold is common on hot days and during Ramadan; hot is also served to visitors.
Hibiscus grows well in the hot, dry climate of the region, and among the Nubians of Aswan karkadeh is the welcome drink, served to arriving guests.
Flavors of Egypt
Layers of toasted bread moistened with broth, rice and a garlic, vinegar and tomato sauce, topped with cooked meat. It’s the Eid al-Adha dish in Egypt and also appears at Coptic Easter and other family celebrations.
A multi-layered puff pastry made with samna, the clarified butter, baked until golden and crisp. It’s eaten plain, with honey, molasses or ashta, or with savory fillings; traditionally baked in clay ovens.
Slow-cooked dried fava beans until tender, partly mashed and seasoned with oil, cumin, lemon and garlic. It’s the most common breakfast in Egypt, served with baladi bread in homes, small restaurants and street carts.
Young pigeon stuffed with rice or fireek (green wheat), with onion and giblets, cooked in broth and then roasted or grilled until the skin browns. A classic on Egyptian tables, it is usually served in pairs.
Round buttery cookie, dusted with powdered sugar, plain or filled with ajameya (honey and walnuts), dates, or pistachio. It’s the sweet of Eid al-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan, prepared at home or bought at bakeries and patisseries.
Rice, short pasta, lentils and chickpeas, topped with tomato sauce and crispy fried onions, served with garlic vinegar and a spicy sauce on the side. It is Egypt’s most popular everyday dish, sold in specialty shops and street carts, and was inscribed by UNESCO on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2025.
Thick green soup made from very finely chopped jute leaves, cooked in broth and seasoned with toasted garlic and coriander. Served with rice or bread, often with chicken or rabbit, it is for many Egyptians the quintessential home dish.
Fried patty made from ground dried fava beans and herbs, crunchy on the outside and soft inside. It’s the Egyptian version of falafel and, together with ful medames, forms Egypt’s most common breakfast, often served in a baladi bread sandwich.
Beef liver cut into thin strips and quickly fried with garlic and bell pepper, seasoned with cumin and lemon. It’s named after Alexandria and is served as a sandwich on the city’s thin bread, with tahini.
