How to prepare Moroccan tea

How to prepare Moroccan tea

Growing up in the Spanish colony of Ceuta in North Africa, one of my favorite family outings was to the neighboring country of Morocco, where my parents would treat me to a mint tea. Like the thrill of being permitted to stay up late for a rare occasion, drinking that hot, steamy brew made me feel like an adult. I’ll never forget the wonderful scent and the patchwork of colors and lights we’d view from the balcony of a little restaurant.

Over the course of my adult life, I have spent most of it on the mainland Spanish capital. Yet, I have never been able to shake the impression that Morocco left on me. A popular spot for authentic Moroccan mint tea was said to exist not far from where I was staying, so I made a visit. What a let-down! It didn’t taste anything like I recalled from my childhood. So, I concluded that it must be like those movies you saw often as a child, but which leave you baffled the first time you view them as an adult. I told myself that time warps the recollection.

How to prepare Moroccan tea

Years later, on my first trip back to Morocco as an adult, I once again sought out a balcony seat at a local eatery and drank mint tea, this time for no other reason than it appeared to be the norm in Morocco. To put it simply, taking that first drink was a revelation. What I smelled and tasted was not a product of my imagination or of the passing of time. It brought back pleasant memories of my own childhood. At only 4 dirhams, you may have a taste of paradise.

It’s not clear why, yet excellent Moroccan tea can only be found in Morocco.

It’s just a basic drink, really… You just need two containers and four basic ingredients to whip up a delicious meal in no time flat. If it works as it does on paper, it won’t be hard to duplicate. However, there is a touch of Morocco with each drink. Perhaps the only way to learn how to prepare authentic Moroccan mint tea is to be immersed in the culture from birth.

That might explain why almost any person in Morocco can make you a cup of tea that will make your senses tingle, despite the fact that this experience would be almost hard to replicate anywhere else. I’m not trying to deceive you: if you want to enjoy a decent Moroccan tea, the best method is to travel to Morocco. Even if you can’t make it there anytime soon, I pray that this little gesture may help you pass the time while you wait.

1Pour one teaspoon of tea leaves and half a cup (100 ml) of scalded water into the kettle (optionally, heat it in a separate container). Steep for a couple of minutes, then stir the kettle and dump the water, in order to clean the leaves. If your kettle doesn’t have a built-in filter, you should use a strainer.

Two alternative approaches exist that depart from this first one:

1) Two-step procedure: pour freshly boiled water over tea pellets, let them soak for a minute, and then unroll the leaves. To clean the unrolled leaves, pour away the flavorful first infusion and set it aside (this is known as “the spirit of the tea”) to be put back later. Swish the water about and dump it.

Use loose tea (such as EL TAJ 9371) that doesn’t need rolling, since this eliminates the need to clean the leaves.

The most common method employs a two-step procedure, and the three choices all provide somewhat different tastes and aromas than the conventional two-step method. Although infusing the tea with the “spirit of the tea” does enhance the taste, it is time-consuming and requires more cups. However, it may be difficult to obtain reasonably priced pre-cleaned leaves, so I suggest sticking with the first, more straightforward alternative. Tour del Marocco

Depending on your taste, add 2 cups (400 ml) of boiling water to the drained tea along with 4 to 6 teaspoons of sugar. Brew it till it boils again over medium heat, then stir in all the mint. Put it back on the stove for two or three minutes until it’s almost boiling, then remove it from the heat and let it soak for three more minutes. The sugar should be added at a certain time. When added early on, rather than late, it will undergo a process analogous to caramelization, contributing to the tea’s signature sweetness.

3Do not allow the water to boil before adding the mint, since doing so might cause the leaves to oxidize and make the tea taste harsh. Some people appreciate the extra touch of astringency that comes from letting the mint simmer for a few seconds, but I wouldn’t suggest it.

4Pour the tea into a container, let it cool, and then pour it back into the kettle. You may repeat this process up to three times to fully include all the tastes. This aerates the tea making it more fragrant and causes the sediments sink to the bottom. Morocco Tours 8 days

Now serve and enjoy a vacation to Morocco in a glass! Remember to pour it from as high as your aim permits, like a waiter in a typical Moroccan restaurant. This method produces a tasty foam on top, so it’s not just for show. You may add a sprig of mint to the glass to make it even nicer.

Interesting Facts about Moroccan Mint Green Tea\s– Moroccan tea is not only closely tied to Moroccan culture, but is also the most true image of their hospitality. After being welcomed into a home, hotel, or shop, we are typically offered a cup of tea and encouraged to stay for a while.

It’s served hot all year round, even in the summer and in warmer places like the desert. In Morocco, they think that hot tea is better at reducing thirst than cold water. There is some scientific justification for this, since our bodies need to warm up cold beverages before they can be used, but beverages at a temperature equal to our own may be utilized instantly, resulting in more efficient hydration.

Insightful tourists visiting Morocco will notice that the local habit is to serve it hot, and that it is typically presented in a tall, narrow glass. So that your fingers don’t become too hot, they leave a little space at the top of the glass.

Although this is a standard recipe for tea, there are many ways it may be altered to suit individual preferences and cultural norms. The most noticeable change is the new sugar, mint, and tea ratio. In the north, it is normally sweeter and in the south more bitter.

Sometimes, they add lemon verbena leaves, which enhance the taste, and also give a relaxing effect. Orange blossom water and pine nuts are a traditional addition in Tunisia and may be used to alter the flavor.

Although drinking tea seems to be an age-old Moroccan custom, it was actually introduced in the middle of the 19th century by English merchants looking to grow their business. The natives were happy to have it since it diluted their very strong absinthe and mint concoctions.

The first cup of tea should be “as bitter as life,” the second “as intense as love,” and the third “as sweet as death,” so goes the proverb.

Since sugar is added along with the tea leaves at the start of the brewing process rather than in individual glasses, the flavor develops gradually. As the sugar settles to the bottom, the last glass will taste sweeter than the others. This is just one more illustration of how even the most seemingly innocuous ritual can embody a whole worldview.