You cannot call yourself a true connoisseur of tea drinks if you have never tasted properly prepared Moroccan tea.
This is not a specific variety or a general category of species that belong to a specific geographic area.
This is a whole culture that contains ingredients, various additives, correct serving, and the tradition of brewing.
But in addition to all this external background, Moroccan tea also has an easily recognizable taste, a pleasant shade, invigorating and tonic effect.
In the hot season in the kingdom of Morocco, you have to escape from the scorching rays of the sun, languish from unbearable stuffiness.
And in this case, hot infusion is known to effectively quench thirst.
Moroccan tea & ndash; composition and description
Moroccan tea is popular not only in the kingdom, but also in nearby North African states. And besides, it is relevant in almost every city in Morocco itself.
Accordingly, each region has its own original traditions, which, albeit insignificantly, change the recipe. And everyone is sure that their methodology is the only correct one.
In fact, if you dig a little deeper, the roots of the story are very deep.
There are several legends about how tea appeared in Morocco.
According to one legend, a British merchant, in the 18th century, due to the war, lost his trade course and turned out to be the will of fate on sand dunes.
According to another version, the British queen personally sent the recipe to the Sultan of Morocco.
There is no historical evidence for this, but it is known that long before this time, this kind of drink was practiced in the local environment. Muslims were forbidden to drink alcohol due to religious restrictions. So they found a pretty logical alternative.
It should be said that imported tea from distant China became the basis for it. And given the lifestyle of Berbers who wandered from place to place, the green variety has become the best way to quench thirst in the harsh heat. And it spread to all categories of the population, everyone from the poor to the sultan paid tribute to him.
As a result, there are many recipes for Moroccan tea.
But the three most important key components remained unchanged. And whatever version you like, these three ingredients will always be present.
- Basis. Of course, if we talk about the classics, then it can only be green tea. However, a black base is now allowed.
- Mint. Moreover, a specific Moroccan variety, and not any that can be found on the shelves of a supermarket.
- Caxap.
In addition to these three pillars, there are many additional ingredients that can be formulated. These are various spices, lemon balm, zest and wedges of citrus, sometimes even milk. Although, given the fact that imports from China, unlike their Indian counterparts, did not have a bitterness, it was not necessary to extinguish it with milk.
Traditional Moroccan tea and tea ceremony features
As mentioned, traditions & ndash; this is the basis in this case. The ceremony is of fundamental importance. For locals, consumption & ndash; it's not an easy thirst quenching process. This is practically a sacred sacrament that should be observed and honored.
A striking example of the truth of this judgment is the attitude of Moroccans towards guests. They will always be offered this particular drink if they see it on their doorstep. And if a guest refuses to share a tea party with the owner of the house, this can be perceived as a direct insult.
So, the traditional ceremony always uses a tall kettle with a long spout. And necessarily made of metal. No porcelain or clay. Lack of low utensils familiar in Asian countries.
Brewing takes place in the kettle, and in two stages. First & ndash; cleansing, simply rinses the leaves, softens and levels the bitterness, if any.
To understand how to make Moroccan tea, it is important to understand the fact that Moroccans only work with boiling water. Although, usually in ceremonies use hot water up to 80 & deg. But not in this case. Both the first brewing and the second & ndash; only in boiling water just removed from the fire.
After receiving the brew, it is the turn of additional components. Mint, lemon balm or citrus should be added. As a result, the resulting mixture must be again poured with water, but no longer boiling water, but cooled.
Next, boil the brew again. For this we will need a metal kettle. Copper is suitable, it has excellent heat transfer properties, quickly heats up and cools down.
Send the dishes to an open fire, boil and let them brew for a couple of minutes.
Notably, infusion still cannot be dispensed after this procedure.
You need to pour it into a glass, let it cool down and send it back to the kettle.
And repeat this maneuver a couple of times. Only then does the temperature become optimal for supply.
And the key point & ndash; spill. The main point is how to make Moroccan tea. You need to spill from a person's height. And it is worth saying that an unprepared person is unlikely to cope with this task without spilling a drop. It will be logical to practice a little in advance. And at this moment you will appreciate the beauty of tall glasses.
How to make a drink at home
Of course, recreating all the conditions that accompanied the ceremony in ancient Morocco in modern realities is problematic. But the locals have created their own ways.
By the way, you should start with some preparations. Simply purchase product packaging and collect water from the tap & ndash; will not come out. More precisely, the result will be far from expected.
Cooking conditions
A step-by-step recipe is not too complicated. First of all, you need to prepare water. And drinking water is needed, purified, best from an underground source. The main thing is that the water at the time of cooking should reach a temperature of 100 & deg;. Do not let it cool in any case.
Second item & ndash; the basis itself. If we talk about the original, then green leaf tea from China is exclusively Zhejiang. & laquo; Green gunpowder & raquo; looks excellent in this role. Although, if it is not possible to purchase it, you can use a different basis. Now it is even permissible to use black varieties.
Be mindful of sugar. Even if you prefer a tart taste without sweeteners, sugar is strongly discouraged. This disrupts the entire taste balance, which is a hallmark. Cane sugar is needed, best in cubes. This achieves gradual dissolution and taste.
Mint is naturally the main ingredient. We will need grade & ndash; spicata. Literally translated as & laquo; spiky & raquo;. One of the species of the genus. Easy enough to find in today's store mix.
A tall kettle with a narrow and long spout is used as utensils so that the famous pouring trick can be performed. And also tall glasses. Glass, transparent will be ideal.
Take a massive tray to serve and add nearby sweets or honeycombs.
Sprig of fresh mint as decor.
Classic recipe
Actually, in most cases it is used. And in the same North African countries, this type is often preferred.
Ingredients
All to the very minimum. It is required to prepare green tea, the amount of which depends on preferences. Capacity for several liters. Clean drinking water, as well as in the area of five pieces of cane sugar. And of course, spiky mint to taste.
Preparation
- In the prepared jug, where we have already placed our tea leaves, we pour boiling water. And let it brew a little, the leaves will open, and with them the taste.
- We drain water, which will carry away bitterness and foreign tastes.
- Again pour hot water, add sugar, no more than half, and bring to a boil over fire.
- Pour in glasses, and then send the tea back to the jug. And we repeat this procedure three times before consumption.
With cinnamon
Not exactly a classic, but due to the cinnamon craze in the modern world, this method simply could not help but appear.
Ingredients
A small portion will require only a liter of water. And 3-4 spoons of tea are perfect for this volume. Of course, it is better to use green from China. A little sugar, a gram of 30 or 35. And most importantly & ndash; cinnamon stick.
Preparation
- Fill the leaves with steep boiling water in the usual way.
- Add mint. Then we put it on fire again. But not in order to just boil, but proceed to real cooking. Keep on fire for at least ten minutes.
- At the final stage, almost before removing from the fire, add sugar and our cinnamon.
- After pouring, you can also add cinnamon stick to the glass. But in this case, the aroma will be very pronounced. And it will definitely break the traditional aromatic notes.
Spiced
For those who like unusually bright and fruity motifs and want to try Moroccan tea, the recipe is perfect.
Ingredients
A green variety of tea leaves from Zhejiang province that goes into all recipes. But as noted more than once, if you can't get it, you can replace it.
You will also need half a liter of boiling water, a few cubes of raffinade, mint. This is where we end with the standard and move on to innovations. Of these, we note anise, cinnamon and lemon.
Preparation
- Carry out the usual double brewing procedure that has already been described.
- Boil a drink with basic spices.
- One minute before removal, add cinnamon and anise.
- Before serving, you should arrange the lemon in glasses. You can do this even at the stage of transfusion from a jug into glasses, then the infusion will be more saturated with acid.
With Badian
He could not stay away from the usual consumer.
Ingredients
Everything that belongs to the original, green leaves, mint and sweetener. We add only the star anise itself. Just a couple of stars is enough.
Preparation
There are practically no differences. Only the cooking process should be slightly increased compared to the classics. Three to four minutes after boiling. It is at this moment that we add our star anise stars, which will play a role in the taste tone.
With orange
Not only citrus lemon can be present in the preparation.
Moroccan mint tea, the recipe of which we are currently describing, is built on another representative & ndash; orange.
Accordingly, it completely loses its sourness, becomes more fruity and a little sweeter.
Ingredients
Everything is the same as in a regular recipe. You only need to add an orange. Whole, not a couple of chips.
Preparation
Skip the default start. Orange is added already at the stage of re-boiling.
There is practically no need to cook, remove from the fire as soon as the temperature reaches 100 & deg;.
But at the first stage, only half of the orange is added along with the peel. The second is cleaned, divided into slices. And each glass of drink is sent its own slice when poured.
How to store
When finished, this product is stored quite easily and for a long time. It can be refrigerated, naturally, after it has cooled down.
It will be a great soft drink that can taste fruity or different depending on the recipe. But it ceases to be specifically Moroccan sophistication as soon as it cools down.
Benefits and harms
Considering what Moroccan tea is, the ingredients in its composition, it can have a tangible effect on the human body. So, have both positive and negative effects.
Like any green drink of this kind, it contains tannin. Accordingly, it has an invigorating effect, relieves fatigue, tones the body and improves mood. And the combination with mint allows you to relieve the load, both physical and emotional, accumulated during the day.
Mint affects the nervous system, so it is actively used for sleep disorders, excessive irritability, during experiences and after hard work.
The composition also contains antioxidants that have a positive effect on the perception of information. They help to better absorb and process it. In other words, this is a great option when studying or preparing for exams.
The history of Moroccan tea says that Berbers used it constantly after eating. And this is no coincidence. After all, it stimulates the release of gastric juice, helps proper and timely digestion. In general, it has a positive effect on the intestinal and gastric tract, if there are no pathologies with contraindications.
By the way, the content of menthol & ndash; it is always a huge plus if colds loom on the horizon. Cough, sore throat & ndash; all this is calmed down and suppressed (not treated) by menthol.
In this case, it is recommended to increase the amount of mint relative to the standard when cooking.
Contraindications
They logically follow from the benefits.
First & ndash; menthol. We can immediately conclude that people with gastrointestinal disorders should avoid it.
Especially when it comes to gastritis.
In addition, menthol is undesirable for asthmatics, since it is actually an allergen for them.
It is unlikely to provoke an attack, especially in such a weak concentration, but it is still better to play it safe in advance.
For reasons, menthol and tannin should be used with caution during pregnancy. And it is better to refrain. And of course, for children under the age of four, this species will be contraindicated.
Otherwise, if there are no pathological disorders, nothing will prevent you from discovering a new milestone of tea pleasures, getting acquainted with the addictions of the North Africans. And they, as practice shows, were real gourmets.
To understand this, just look at Moroccan tea, the photos of which are replete with a lot of additional fruit, berry, honey components.