Atay b'naanaa
This classic Moroccan mint tea is bright, sweet, and deeply refreshing, with the gently smoky character of gunpowder green tea balanced by a generous handful of fragrant spearmint. Poured high into glasses, it develops a delicate froth and a welcoming aroma that makes it as beautiful as it is soothing.
Ingredients
Tea infusion
- 500 mlwater
- 6 ggunpowder green tea
- 20 gfresh spearmint
- 30 ggranulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse the spearmint under cold water and gently shake dry; keep a few attractive sprigs whole for serving if you like.
- 2
Warm a teapot or heatproof pot with a splash of the hot water, then discard that water. Add the gunpowder green tea to the pot and pour in about 50 ml of the boiling water. Swirl for 5 seconds and discard this first rinse to remove bitterness and wake up the leaves.
- 3
Add the sugar and spearmint to the pot. Pour in the remaining hot water, cover, and let steep for 3 minutes. Avoid over-steeping, which can make green tea harsh.
- 4
Stir the tea by pouring a little into a glass and returning it to the pot 2-3 times, or stir gently in the pot until the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness only if needed.
- 5
Serve hot, traditionally pouring from a little height into small glasses to aerate the tea and create a light froth. The finished tea should taste fresh, sweet, and pleasantly brisk, not overly bitter.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For a more traditional sweet Moroccan style, increase the sugar to 40-50 g for 2 servings.
- •If your mint stems are tender, include some stems for deeper aroma.
- •Do not boil the tea leaves directly; steeping preserves the clean, smoky-green flavor of gunpowder tea.
- •Serve with pastries, nuts, or fresh fruit.
Background
Atay b'naanaa is Morocco's iconic mint tea, introduced after green tea entered North African trade routes in the 18th and 19th centuries. It became a symbol of hospitality, with the ritual of brewing and pouring tea holding an important place in daily social life across the country.
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