Traditional Moroccan Mint Tea (Three-Pour Atay)
The classic Atay b'Naana served the way Moroccan households have done it for generations—Gunpowder green tea, fresh spearmint, and sugar, poured three times from a height for the signature mousse on top.
Moroccan mint tea isn't just a drink—it's a daily ritual and a symbol of hospitality across North Africa. The traditional preparation rinses the Gunpowder leaves first to remove dust and bitterness, then steeps them with a generous bundle of fresh spearmint and plenty of sugar.
The three-pour technique is essential: the first pour washes the leaves, the second seasons the pot, and the third serves the tea. Pouring from a height of 20–30 cm creates the foamy crown (mousse) that Moroccans consider the mark of well-made tea.
Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is the only authentic mint for this recipe—peppermint is too aggressive and disrupts the balance. Use a generous handful; the mint should look like a small bush sitting in the pot.
Sip slowly from small glasses, refilling as you go. The tea contains a moderate dose of caffeine from the Gunpowder green base, plus mint's natural digestive properties, making it the perfect after-meal drink to settle the stomach and lift the conversation.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Gunpowder green tea leaves
- 1 large handful fresh spearmint (with stems)
- 3–4 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- 750 ml hot water (just off the boil, around 95°C)
- Small Moroccan teapot or any heat-safe teapot
- 4–6 small tea glasses
How to make it
- 1Place Gunpowder leaves in the teapot. Add a splash of hot water, swirl for 20 seconds, then strain off and discard the water (this rinses the leaves).
- 2Add the fresh mint (stems and all) and sugar to the rinsed leaves. Pour hot water over and let steep for 4–5 minutes.
- 3Without stirring, pour a small glass of tea and return it to the pot—repeat twice more. This mixes the tea evenly and aerates it.
- 4Serve by pouring from at least 20 cm above the glass to create the signature foamy mousse on top. Refill glasses as you sip.
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