Moroccan Mint Tea (Atay)

Put the tea in a teapot, pour in a splash of the boiling water, swirl for a few seconds and pour that first water away.

💡 This quick rinse washes off the dust and the harshest bitterness from the rolled leaves. Do not skip it — it is the difference between a smooth tea and a bitter one.

Add the sugar and the boiling water to the pot and set it over low heat to come just to a simmer, about 3 minutes.

Take it off the heat and push the mint down into the hot tea. Let it steep 4–5 minutes.

💡 Add the mint at the end, off the heat. Boiling mint turns it dark and bitter; steeping it in tea that is already made keeps the flavour bright and green.

Pour a glassful back into the pot once or twice to mix the sugar evenly, then taste and add more sugar if you like.

Pour into small glasses from as high as you can manage without spilling, so a layer of foam forms on top.

💡 The high pour is not showing off — it aerates the tea and builds the foam crown that marks a properly served glass. Start low, then lift the pot as it flows.

Serve piping hot. In Morocco the same leaves are often re-brewed twice more, each pot milder and sweeter than the last.