Moroccan Mint
From $17.50
What’s In The Packet?
vegan. gluten free. 100% natural. organic ingredients.
no preservatives or additives. artisanal. hand blended. hand-packaged
Experience
Best Enjoyed
Hot and, if you have a steady hand, poured from a height to aerate the brew. On hot days, you can stray from tradition and serve your mint tea over ice. Add sliced lemon and fresh mint for a truly divine treat. Purists are sure to adore the bright minty flavour in its natural state, but for the authentic Moroccan experience, serve your Atai bil Na’na’ with sugar (or your favourite sweetener) to accentuate the fragrant mint. A garnish of fresh mint plays with this tea like magic.
Best Served
In decorative Moroccan tea glasses on a tea tray. For a bit of traditional theatre, serve your Atai bil Na’na from a Moroccan teapot (barrad), designed for the accuracy needed to pour from a great height. This both aerates the tea and impresses your guests! Of course, this lush, verdant brew will be just as heavenly if served in your favourite teacups.
Pairs With
The minty decadence is a delight on its own or with your favourite treat, but for a cultural experience, try it with Morocco’s famous fried flat bread (msemen), or pancakes like meloui and baghrir. Other sweet favourites include krachel (brioche-like sweet rolls) and sfenj (doughnuts). If you are a cookie lover, try some of Morocco’s tea time favourites including, fekkas (biscotti-like biscuits) and ghriba (shortbread). On special occasions, try Morocco’s famous pastries ka’ab al ghazelle (crescent-shaped, almond pastries) and chebakia (chewy sesame, honey and turmeric cookies).
Tea Time
As you stroll the streets or lounge in your Moroccan friends’ homes, you’ll see people delighting in Moroccan Mint tea morning, afternoon, and night. However, as the afternoon relaxes into evening, it’s only those who can handle a late night buzz that continue drinking.
Caffeine Level
Moderate
For a softer buzz
Tea Strength
Medium
Brewing Guide
Brew it the Simple Way
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AMOUNT
½ – 1 tsp per 200 ml (7 fl oz)
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METHOD
Steep
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TEMP
100°C (212°F)
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TIME
2 – 3 min
To Make 1 Cup: Add ½ – 1 tsp of tea to a teapot or infuser pot. Pour in 200 ml (7 fl oz) of water boiled to 100°C (212°F). Steep for 2 – 3 min. Strain into cup. Enjoy as is or sweeten to taste.
Brew it the Traditional Moroccan Way
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AMOUNT
½ – 1 tsp per 200 ml (7 fl oz)
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METHOD
Stovetop brew
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TEMP
Rolling boil
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TIME
5 – 10 min
Tea Tools
All the specialised utensils you’ll need for the traditional brew:
Step 1: Measure
Depending on how strong you like your brew, you will need ½ – 1 tsp of tea per 200 ml (7 fl oz) of water.
Step 2: Boil
Boil the water in your kettle to 100°C; (212°F).
Tip: Add a little extra to the kettle to ensure you have enough boiled water for rinsing and brewing the tea.
Step 3: Rinse
Add the tea to your traditional Moroccan teapot, stovetop teapot, or saucepan. Rinse the tea by filling the pot or saucepan with enough of your freshly boiled water to cover the leaves. Swirl for a few seconds and strain, ensure none of your tea leaves escape as you discard the rinsed infusion. Repeat up to 2 more times to reduce the astringency of the brew.
Step 4: Brew
Add a handful of fresh mint sprigs to the pot or saucepan for an extra refreshing kick, then add the boiled water. If sweetening with sugar or any sweetener other than honey, add it at this point to create greater depths of flavour and frothy texture. Cover and bring to a rolling boil on the stovetop. Boil for 1 min, then remove from heat and steep for 5 – 10 min.
Step 5: Serve
Pour the tea from a height into a test cup (if you used a saucepan, transfer the brew to a teapot first). This may take some practice! Next, return the poured tea to the pot. This method mixes and blends the flavour of the tea and helps you determine whether the tea has the right colour. You’re looking for a golden liquor. If the colour is light, allow it to steep a little longer.
Finally, pour the tea into each cup from a height. You should see bubbles which indicate that you’ve aerated the tea in true Moroccan style. Hint: The frothiness of the bubbles you see will depend on whether you’ve added sugar, and if so, how much you added. More sugar generally equates to more of that delightful froth.
Moroccans don’t mind some tea leaves falling into their cups, so they don’t tend to strain their tea. A strainer would only interfere with the aeration of the tea, and this is far more important than a few stray tea leaves. If sweetening with honey, now is the time to add the desired amount.
If serving in traditional Moroccan cups without handles, it is common practice to fill the cups ¾ of the way. Moroccan cups tend to be small, dainty and without handles, so this allows enough room to safely hold the cup without burning your fingers.
Step 6: Drink
If you are drinking from a traditional handle-less cup, hold the rim with your thumb and index finger. Not only is this the traditional way, but it is also the best method for ensuring you do not burn your fingers.
Before taking your first sip, savour the aroma of the tea in the teacup to experience greater depths of flavour. The tea may be piping hot, so make your first sip small and take it slow, testing the temperature of the brew so that you don’t burn yourself.
Brew it the Iced Way
To enjoy this tea iced, simply follow the Basic Brew steps, then strain the tea into your cup, glass jug, or pitcher. Cool the tea uncovered to allow it to reach room temperature faster. Add your favourite garnishes to give it an extra refreshing kick. If you need some inspiration, it’s delicious with freshly squeezed lemon, lemon slices, and fresh mint. Serve chilled over ice.
Tips: If you are using fresh mint, add it to the pot while the tea is steeping for an extra refreshing minty flavour. You can then use more fresh mint for garnishing each teacup or your jug or pitcher.
If you wish to make the tea sweet, add the desired sweetener while the tea is still hot so it is able to fully dissolve.
