Iced Moroccan Mint Tea

teas.co.uk · 20 min · Serves 4

You'll need

• 4 Dragonfly Organic Moroccan Mint pyramid bags
• 500ml freshly drawn water (used at 80C, off boil and stood 2 minutes)
• A generous handful of fresh spearmint leaves, about 30g, bruised between the palms
• 3 tbsp golden caster sugar (Moroccan service is properly sweet; add a fourth to taste)
• 1 unwaxed lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• 250ml well chilled still water
• Plenty of cubed ice for the jug and the serving glasses
• 4 small sprigs of fresh mint for the serving glasses
• A few thin cucumber rounds for the optional Moroccan summer garnish

Method

1. Boil the kettle, then let it stand for two minutes to drop to about 80C. The gunpowder green base would scald at a full boil.
2. Bruise the spearmint by clapping it once between your palms to release the oils.
3. Put the four Moroccan Mint bags and the bruised spearmint into a 1-litre heatproof jug and pour over the 500ml of water.
4. Stir in the sugar straight away while the jug is hot; it will keep dissolving through the steep.
5. Cover and steep for four minutes, a touch longer than a single cup because of the larger volume and leaf.
6. Lift out the bags, pressing each against the side, and discard. Leave the fresh mint in the jug.
7. Add the lemon slices now, while the jug is still hot, so the citrus oil works into the tea rather than just floating on the surface later.
8. Pour in the chilled still water and a good handful of ice, stirring for thirty seconds to bring the temperature down quickly; some ice will melt, which is part of getting the strength right.
9. Cover and chill in the fridge for twenty minutes to let everything settle together.
10. Fill four tall glasses with ice, strain the tea over, and drop a lemon round and a mint sprig into each, with a slice or two of cucumber if you like.

Recipe: https://teas.co.uk/recipes/iced tea/iced moroccan mint tea/