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- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Serves
- 6
Moroccan mint tea (atay) is Chinese gunpowder green tea brewed with a big bunch of fresh spearmint and sugar, mixed by pouring back and forth, and served from a height into small glasses so it foams. A pot takes about 15 minutes and serves around six small glasses. It is easy to make, though harder to make well. The step most recipes outside Morocco skip is rinsing the tea first, and that rinse is what keeps the tea from tasting bitter.
Tea is not an ancient Moroccan drink. It became widespread in the 19th century, when British merchants sold Chinese green tea through ports like Tangier and Essaouira, and within a few generations it became the country's sign of hospitality. Saying no to a glass is close to impolite.
At a glance
| Serves | 6 small glasses |
| Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Equipment | Teapot (ideally a metal Moroccan berrad), small heatproof glasses |
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (8–10 g) Chinese gunpowder green tea
- 1 large handful of fresh spearmint with stems (30–40 g)
- 3–5 tbsp sugar (Moroccan homes traditionally break pieces off a sugar cone)
- About 800 ml (3⅓ cups) freshly boiled water, plus extra for rinsing
Instructions
- Warm the pot. Swirl a little boiling water in the teapot and pour it out.
- Take the "spirit" of the tea. Add the tea leaves and about 120 ml (½ cup) boiling water. Swirl for 20 seconds and pour this into a glass. Keep it. This first, concentrated pour is often called the tea's rouh, its spirit.
- Wash the tea. Add another 120 ml (½ cup) boiling water, swirl, and throw this one away. It takes the dust and the harshest bitterness with it. The leaves will have opened up.
- Add mint and sugar. Rinse the mint, stuff it into the pot, add the sugar and pour back the first glass you saved.
- Brew. Fill the pot with about 700 ml (3 cups) boiling water. A Moroccan metal teapot goes back on a low flame until the tea just starts to bubble at the top. If your pot can't go on the stove, cover it and steep for 4–5 minutes.
- Mix by pouring. Pour a glass and tip it back into the pot. Do this two or three times; it dissolves the sugar and blends the tea. Taste a little and add sugar if needed.
- Pour high. Fill each glass about two-thirds full, starting low and lifting the pot as you pour, to about 20–30 cm (8–12 in). You want a cap of foam on each glass.
Tea, mint and sugar: what to buy
| Ingredient | What Moroccans use | Abroad |
|---|---|---|
| Tea | Chinese gunpowder green tea | Tea shops, supermarkets, Middle Eastern grocers. In Japan, Chinese tea shops and online, sold as ガンパウダーティー |
| Mint | Fresh spearmint (na'na') | Most supermarkets sell spearmint as "mint." Avoid peppermint |
| Sugar | Sugar cone or large sugar cubes | Plain white sugar or cubes |
| Extras | Wormwood (chiba) in winter, lemon verbena (louiza), sage, orange blossom | Optional; a sprig of each is enough |
No teapot? Saucepan method
Put the tea in a small sieve and pour boiling water through it twice (keep the first, discard the second). Put the leaves, mint, sugar and saved first glass in a saucepan with 700 ml water, bring just to a simmer, turn off the heat and steep 3 minutes. Strain into a jug and pour into glasses from a height.
How much sugar is "Moroccan sweet"?
| Style | Sugar per 800 ml pot |
|---|---|
| Light (common among younger Moroccans and health-conscious families) | 2 tbsp |
| Middle | 3–4 tbsp |
| Traditional, guests and celebrations | 5–6 tbsp, or a large chunk of sugar cone |
The rinse in steps 2–3 matters more than people expect: the less bitter the tea, the less sugar you need to balance it.
Seasonal and regional variations
- Winter: a sprig of dried wormwood (chiba) is added alongside the mint in many homes. It is very bitter, so use a small piece and more sugar.
- Summer: more mint, sometimes with lemon verbena (louiza).
- Without mint: when mint is scarce or for a stronger tea, some families brew the green tea alone with sugar, or with sage (salmiya).
- The south: in Saharan regions the tea ceremony is longer, with tea brewed stronger and poured from greater height for thick foam.
Mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping the rinse | Bitter, harsh tea | Always rinse once and discard |
| Boiling for minutes | Stewed, very bitter tea | Bring just to the first bubble, then stop |
| Too little mint | Tastes like sweet green tea | A big handful, packed into the pot |
| Peppermint | Medicinal, toothpaste flavour | Spearmint only |
| Stirring instead of pouring | Sugar sinks, flat tea | Pour glass back into the pot 2–3 times |
| Large mugs | Tea goes cold, loses foam | Small glasses, refilled often |
The tea ritual
In many homes the person who makes the tea is a role: usually the host, or an older family member, who sits with the tray and the pot. Guests are commonly served three glasses, and you will hear a saying quoted about the three: the first gentle as life, the second strong as love, the third bitter as death. Nobody agrees on where the saying started, but the habit of three rounds is real.
Mint tea comes after almost every meal, from a weekday kefta tagine to a holiday lamb tagine with prunes, and with msemen in the afternoon.
Storage
Mint tea is made fresh, pot by pot, and doesn't keep well; the mint turns dark and bitter. Keep gunpowder tea in an airtight tin away from light for up to a year. Fresh mint lasts a few days in the fridge with its stems in a glass of water, loosely covered with a bag.
Recipe card
Moroccan Mint Tea: How to Make Atay Properly
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (about 8-10 g) Chinese gunpowder green tea
- 1 large handful fresh spearmint, stems included (about 30-40 g)
- 3-5 tbsp sugar, to taste (traditionally more)
- About 800 ml (3 1/3 cups) freshly boiled water, plus extra for rinsing
Method
- 1Warm the teapot with a little boiling water and discard it.
- 2Put the tea in the pot. Add about 120 ml (1/2 cup) boiling water, swirl for 20 seconds and pour it into a glass. Set this first glass aside.
- 3Add another 120 ml (1/2 cup) boiling water, swirl and discard this second rinse.
- 4Rinse the mint under the tap and push it into the pot. Add the sugar and pour back the first glass.
- 5Fill the pot with about 700 ml (3 cups) boiling water. If your pot is stovetop-safe, set it on low heat until it just starts to bubble. Otherwise steep 4-5 minutes.
- 6Pour a glass and pour it back into the pot 2-3 times to mix the sugar. Taste and adjust.
- 7Serve in small glasses, pouring from a height of 20-30 cm (8-12 in) to make foam.
FAQ
What tea is used for Moroccan mint tea?
Chinese gunpowder green tea, a tightly rolled green tea. Moroccan shops sell several grades of it; any gunpowder green tea from a tea shop or supermarket works.
Why do you pour Moroccan tea from high up?
To aerate it and form a light foam on top. It also cools the tea a little and mixes in the sugar. A glass with foam is the sign of a well-made pot.
Can I make it with less sugar?
Yes. Traditional tea is very sweet, but many Moroccans now drink it with less. Start with 2 tbsp for a pot and adjust; the rinse step helps reduce bitterness, so you need less sugar to balance it.
Can I use peppermint?
Spearmint is traditional and much better. Peppermint is sharper and menthol-heavy. If peppermint is all you have, use half the amount.