Roselle @ Hougang Primary

It was an interesting annual affair with Hougang Primary School - learning the culinary and medicinal values of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). In May, A total of 8 classes of Primary 4 pupils had an interactive learning session, making their own Roselle drink and tasting the freshly-made jam on biscuit!The plant is considered to have anti-hypertensive properties. Roselle, has been used in folk medicine as a diuretic, mild laxative, and treatment for cardiac and nerve diseases and cancer. Roselle has mild laxative effect and it has the ability to increase urination. This is due to the two diuretic ingredients, ascorbic acid and glycolic acid.In some places like America and Europe, Roselle are used as food colourings. In Myanmar, the green leaves are the main ingredient in making chin baung kyaw curry. Many parts of roselle including seeds, leaves, fruits and roots are used in various foods. Among them, the fleshy red calyxes are the most popular. They are used fresh for making wine, juice, jam, jelly, syrup. gelatin, pudding, cakes, ice cream and flavors, also dried and brewed into tea, spice, and used for butter, pies, sauces, tarts, and other desserts. Follow these simply steps to make a roselle drink. Firstly, tear up the calyxes of the roselle fruit. Put it into a cup and fill it up with hot water. Steep it for 5 minutes. Add sugar to taste. Ice can be added before serving, this will add extra feel to the taste. Refreshing!Students making their own roselle drink. Passing the roselle fruit down the line. Peeling the calyxes...Steeping the calyxes in hot water....Learning how to mix the soil, compost and fertilizer in the correct proportion for planting of roselle. After growing the roselle in the small pot for 2 weeks, transplant the young seedling into a bigger pot or in this case, a plot of land.Roselle can tolerate little shade and can be grown in greenhouse but it normally grows best in field conditions under the full sunlight Remove the pot from the young seedling...Put the young seedling into a hole deeper than the pot, cover the rest with soil. Water the plant daily. Fertilize the plant once every fortnightly.Making of roselle jam.....simply with roselle calyxes, water and sugar. Adding in pectin will improve the texture of the jam. Alternatively, fruits like apple or strawberry can be added to boost the flavour.Freshly cooked jam was served on biscuits! Yummy...Food tasting time.....

It was a unique experience for the pupils, from growing of plant to the tasting of the fruit of labour!