It rarely gets hotter than summer in Morocco, where average temperatures cross the 40°C (104°F) mark with scorching regularity.
Add in the dry, dusty desert winds and you have an oven of a country, where even the air conditioners struggle against the forces of nature.
So how is it that you see people sitting and sipping HOT tea everywhere in Morocco, all through the day? Surely, no mere mortal could be that immune to the heat – even with some sizzling genetics thrown into the mix?
They are definitely not immune. It’s actually the tea itself that bolsters their body against the heat, packed as it is with lashings of mint.
Mint, you see, is something of a wonder herb. It is superb at cooling down the body (menthol, a chemical in mint, binds with our body’s cold-sensitive receptors to trick our brain into actually feeling a cold sensation) and raising its defenses against the heat.
Plus, these green sprigs also act as a powerful antioxidant, soothe an upset stomach, relieve heartburn, boost mental performance, promote focus, loosen congestion, break up coughs, chase away bad breath, inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungus, help with nasal allergies, cleanse the blood and clear up skin disorders (like acne). Whew!
Add in all the already-established benefits of green tea and you have a potent blend that’s not only unusually cooling but also packed with enough health and beauty benefits to have me chasing up the best Moroccan mint tea recipe that can be recreated outside of Morocco.
Fortunately, it’s a pretty simple task. All you need is a handful of mint leaves (fresh spearmint works best but any garden variety will do the job), some green tea (again, gunpowder green tea holds up best against the assertive flavours of mint but any green tea will work) and the sweetener of your choice.
All set? Here’s how you go about making the best Moroccan mint tea for your health, beauty and body temperature!
Moroccan mint tea: Ingredients
2 tbsp loose green tea (or 3 green tea bags) 3/4 cup mint leaves sugar to taste (traditionally it’s sugar but you can use Stevia or honey) 6 cups waterHow to make Moroccan mint tea
1. Bring water to a boil. Turn off heat, add the mint and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
2. Return the water to a boil, turn heat to lowest setting, then add the green tea and sweetener (I normally use 2 teaspoons of brown sugar). Allow everything to lightly simmer for no more than 3 minutes as green tea becomes bitter when steeped too long.
3. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the biggest leaves and check the sweetness – simply stir in more sweetener, if needed.
4. Serve into tall and narrow glasses (or short shot glasses) and garnish with a sprig of mint – then sip, repeat and chill out. If hot tea is not your thing, make iced Moroccan mint tea by refrigerating until cold or pouring cooled tea over ice.
