Sorrel ( Rumex acetosa ) and hibiscus ( Hibiscus sabdariffa ) are unrelated plant that have a few things in coarse but a lot of differences . Here ’s where things can get confusing : hibiscus is called sorrel in some parts of the world . If you are attempting to expend one or the other , it is important to jazz how the two herb differ and to understand which one your recipe require . Here is a flavor at how sorrel and hibiscus comparison to each other .
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How does sorrel differ from hibiscus?
ordinarily , sorrel and hibiscus take care almost nothing like each other . Sorrel leavesare typically bright green and elongated with a tenuous arrowhead physique . Hibiscus has variegated leaves and red stem . Note that there are some common sorrel variety that have red stems but most do n’t .
With sorrel , the edible part of the works is the leaf , which you could consume cutting or make . The undimmed red calyx at the base of each flower is the part of the hibiscus plant that is most commonly used for food . The calyx cover the seed pod . You peel the calyces off and they are eatable raw , but it is more common to use hibiscus calyx for making infusions or to cook them .
Sorrel is a spicy green herb and is prepared in the same ways that spinach and blowball greens are prepared . The independent applications programme for hibiscus in the West is in beverages , though it is also used to make jams and jellies in some parts of the West Indies — it is sweetened in most of these preparations .
Sorrel Leaves
Sorrel ’s acidity comes mostly from oxalic acid , the constitutional acid that is responsible for for the sour in rhubarb and other tart jet . Hibiscus gets most of its sourish savor from a variety of other organic acid , including malic and tartaric acid .
Can you use sorrel in place of hibiscus? And vice versa?
The flavor of wood sorrel and the flavor of hibiscus are both overshadow by tartness so if you are think about using one or the other of these two herbs to make a lemony savory dish , they may be interchangeable . Neither has much live on for it in the tone department outside of acidulousness . Still , there are a few significant affair that you may want to weigh before make the transposition .
Firstly , sorrel will not provide the bright red color that hibiscus allow for . If you utilise rozelle as a hibiscus alternative , the lead preparation will count noticeably different from a version incorporate hibiscus . Similarly , hibiscus will give a different appearance in a dish that is traditionally made with sorrel — it will make the dish bright loss .
Secondly , sorrel is not traditionally used to make a drinkable . The main practical software of hibiscus is for making infusions that serve as the cornerstone for drinks . How well Hibiscus sabdariffa ’s acidity might go in a drink is confutable .
When should you use sorrel? And when should you use hibiscus?
practice sorrel as a leafy green in salad or strain it for soup . Use it in Nigerian stew and salads or steamed as a side dish for fish . Hibiscus is a various plant with many applications but none is more popular than its use as a tea herbaceous plant . you could dish out hibiscus Camellia sinensis hot , but in many tropical countries like Mexico and Jamaica , it is swear out sweetened and cold over frosting . In Jamaica , the hibiscus potable is associated with the close - of - year vacation season and its smell may be enhanced with spices and rum . In Mexico , it is a year - round of golf favourite agua fresca .
