Atay is more than a drink in Morocco — it’s hospitality itself. Gunpowder green tea is rinsed, steeped with fresh spearmint and sugar, then poured from high above for a frothy crown.
Recipe: Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay) — The Authentic Way
Prep2 min
Cook8 min
Total10 min
Serves4
LevelEasy
Calories~60
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Chinese gunpowder green tea
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 large bunch fresh spearmint
- 3–5 tbsp sugar, to taste
Instructions
- Put tea in the pot, add ½ cup boiling water, swirl 30 seconds and discard (this rinses bitterness).
- Add ½ cup water, swirl and pour into a glass — this is the ‘spirit’ of the tea; keep it.
- Add mint, sugar, the reserved glass and remaining water. Steep 3–4 minutes over low heat.
- Pour into a glass and back into the pot 2–3 times to mix, then serve, pouring from high for foam.
Tips for success
- Use spearmint (nana), not peppermint, for the true Moroccan taste.