Learn how to make traditional moroccan mint tea, you might be surprised to learn that it’s not just fresh mint leaves steeped in hot water.

It will come as no surprise to learn how we are obsessed with fresh mint. We love the smell, we love the taste, we love it so much that this herb is our muse for our Moroccan Tea House candle (if you love the smell of fresh mint you will be obsessed with this candle and its fresh yet subtly sweet undertones).

We learned how to make authentic moroccan mint tea on our recent trip to Marrakesh, where we attended Amal’s non-profit charity cooking school where we also learned how to make Moroccan tajines (see video here).

There is such an authentic story behind the charity which we were moved by. It’s a charity that helps women from disadvantageous backgrounds in Morocco from having no education to those who have experienced domestic violence. Amal’s charity helps give women their independence from giving them an education and helping them get work so that they can be financially independent, all whilst supporting their mental health in the process. If you’re more of a visual person you can also watch how we made Moroccan mint tea here, it’s such a wonderful tea ritual.

Recipe:

1. First add 1 full heaped tablespoon of loose gunpowder green tea to a tea pot
2. Pour in 1 glass of boiling hot water
3. Let it brew for 2 minutes
4. Then pour out one glass of the tea into a cup which is called the spirit or soul of the tea and keep it to one side
5. Pour another glass full of boiling water into the tea pot, give it a gentle shake and pour this then into a glass and discard. You will see how this one is a lot darker in colour from the second rinse (surprisingly it’s not left over sediment)
6. Then pour the first glass (know as the spirit of the tea) back into the tea pot
7. Because what’s now in the teapot is very concentrated you now need to add more boiling water to the pot, (pour as much water in as per the amount of servings you intent to make -glasses you want to pour)
8. Then add 2 large handfuls of mint leaves to the teapot and ensure it’s all steeped into the hot water
9. Pour a glass worth of the brew into a glass and then pour it back into the tea pot. This is done about 4 times to ensure the mint leaves have mixed well
10. Then it’s time to add sugar so its not too bitter. We couldn’t believe how much sugar traditionally is used, it can be up to 20 small sugar cubes or more for a full teapot. For us we found it far too sweet and prefer it without the sugar and definitely recommend it without from a health point of view too!
11. If you’ve added a small amount of sugar, then pour some of the mixture into a glass and then pour it back into the tea pot. This is done about 4 times to ensure the sugar has now mixed in well
12. Pour the tea into serving glasses from a height, which creates a frothy “head” on top of each glass. They say the higher your pour the more welcome the guest feels

And there you have it, that’s how you make traditional moroccan mint tea.

P.s. We found out in Moroccan culture they never pour the glass to the top, if they do its more of a signal that that’s your last glass.

Want more Moroccan-inspired recipes, why not try our beetroot and chickpea tabbouleh which can also be found in our book ‘Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Your Route to Recovery’.