Step 1

First, peel the ginger and slice it into very thin coins. Smash it with the end of a knife, and add it to a small sauce pan. Cover it with the sugar and 1/4 cup of the water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, covered. It will be very fragrant. Let cool on the side.

Step 2

Next, bring the remaining 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat, add the hibiscus petals, and cover. Allow to steep for 15 minutes. Be careful--this mixture will stain anything it touches. When done, strain and let cool. (You can do this ahead of time).

Step 3

Meanwhile, juice the pineapple in a juicer, or blend in a blender and strain. You could also use store-bought pineapple juice here.

Step 4

Strain the ginger out of the syrup mixture, and divide it between two tall glasses. Add plenty of ice cubes, and top with equal parts of the pineapple juice and hibiscus tea. Finally, bruise the cilantro sprigs with the side of a knife, and add to the glass. Serve.