Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay) Mocktail Recipe
Sweet gunpowder green tea steeped with fistfuls of spearmint and poured from high above the glass to raise a crown of foam.
- Category: Mocktail
- Glass: Irish coffee mug
- ABV: 0%
- Difficulty: Medium
- Prep time: ~3 min
- Alcohol-free: ✓
Ingredients
- Gunpowder green tea2 tsp
- Fresh mint leaves1 piece
- Sugar3 tsp
- Boiling water250 ml (8.5 oz)
How to Make It
- Rinse the gunpowder tea with a splash of boiling water and discard it, to wash away the dust and bitterness.
- Add the sugar and the rest of the boiling water and let it steep for a few minutes.
- Press in a generous bunch of spearmint, stems and all, and infuse briefly without stewing it.
- Pour a glass and return it to the pot two or three times to mix the tea evenly.
- Pour from high above the glass so a head of foam rises, and serve very hot.
Garnish
A sprig of spearmint standing in the glass
What it tastes like
Mint leaves a cooling finish.
The technique
Built in the glass. Ice goes into the serving glass, the ingredients go on top, and you stir once if at all. Anything carbonated goes in LAST and never gets stirred; every turn of the spoon costs you bubbles. Fill the glass to the rim with ice: less ice melts faster, not slower.
Glass and ice
A handled, thick-walled Irish coffee mug. Built for hot drinks: the handle protects your hand and the thick glass holds the heat. Warming it with hot water first noticeably changes the first sip.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Fresh mint leaves
- The stem is bitter, so use the leaves. One clap between your palms before it goes in releases the oils and gives you the aroma without bruising it.
- Sugar
- Granulated sugar. It dissolves badly in a cold drink, so either muddle it with a few drops of water first or turn it into syrup to begin with.
The Story
Green tea reached Morocco through nineteenth-century trade and was quickly made local with spearmint and sugar; pouring it is the host's duty, and the custom of serving three glasses — each said to taste unlike the last — is proverbial across the Maghreb.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay) mixed?
- It is built in the glass and served in an Irish coffee mug.
- Does a Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay) contain alcohol?
- No. It is safe to serve to children, to anyone pregnant, and to whoever is driving.
- Is a Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay) hard to make?
- Moderate. A shaker or mixing glass plus a strainer covers it.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.