Sitting outside a quiet café in Marrakesh with my little sister just after we had a simple breakfast. The sun shining down its warmth on us as we smile with our shades on and newly henna tattooed hands from the night before. We drink our sweet mint tea in pleasant silence, the one you get when you are on vacation. This is my mint tea memory. Simple pleasure.

I believe it was there in Marrakesh all those years ago that I really got to taste true Moroccan mint tea. I plan to go back there with my husband and boys to create new memories in this mesmerising city. Living in Paris, a country with a large number of North African minority I am lucky to have access to recreating this memory as often as possible.

Mint tea is widely available and served in Paris. To me the best place to drink Mint tea in Paris is in the Grande Mosquée de Paris (http://www.restaurantauxportesdelorient.com)

Their outdoor café garden with its marble fountain, fig trees , chirping birds flying under your table to eat the crumbs from your cake and the smell of double apple shisha make you believe you have been magically transported to the Orient.

Their tea is sweet, hot and fresh fresh fresh ! You will find a buzz around the entrance and it’s a magnet for tourist and locals. Delicious crumbly North African sweets are served as well as Shisha (or hooka, flavoured tabacco). If you are feeling hungry check out their amazing food at their restaurant.

How to make Moroccan mint tea?

The best tea to use is gunpowder mint tea. Otherwise use green tea or mint tea. But you must add fresh mint leaves, optional with stalks!

What is gunpowder tea? Don’t worry it’s safe and no guns are involved! It is green Chines tea that has been steamed, slightly smoked and rolled. This results in the tealeaves to look like small pellets, hence the name. The flavour is more intense than your average green tea. This is type of tea used in Morocco and North Africa to make mint tea.

TIP: You must wash out the bitterness of the gunpowder tea to get the best results I found. So once you place it in the pot you must add hot water and leave it for a few minutes and stir, then dispose of the tea water.

 

Ingredients

Boiling water

3 teaspoons of sugar (you can add more depending how sweet you like it)

1 bunch of fresh mint

1 teaspoon of gun powder green tea.

 

Method

Step 1-In a pot place the tea and add small amount of boiling water let it sit for 1 minute then stir and pour out the water into the sink, leaving soaked tea leaves in the pot.

Step 2- Place fresh mint leaves into the pot of the gunpowder mint tea.

Step 3 -Add sugar and hot water. Stir and serve.