Arabic Tea with Mint (Shai Bil Na'ana'a)
User Reviews
5
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Cook Time
11 mins
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Servings
6 cups
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Calories
18 kcal
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Course
Drinks
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Arabic Tea with Mint (Shai Bil Na'ana'a)
Description
This Arabic Tea with Mint involves boiling black tea leaves vigorously, stirring to agitate and release their flavor. After boiling, fresh mint leaves are added immediately, and the tea is covered to steep for five minutes. The result is a fragrant, deep amber-red tea with the bright, cooling aroma of mint.
The tea is poured through a fine mesh strainer into cups, removing tea leaves and mint. Sugar or sweetener is optionally added by each guest at the table, honoring a tradition of customizable sweetness rather than pre-sweetening the pot. This approach highlights the fresh mint's herbal character alongside the robust black tea base.
Using purified water is advised for best flavor to avoid off-tastes from tap water. The tea is typically served hot, ideally in clear teacups to show the color of the infusion. This simple preparation exemplifies a cultural tea serving honored in many Arabic countries.
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 2 teaspoons black tea or more if you like your tea strong, loose-leaf
- 6-8 mint a large handful, fresh leaves
- sugar optional, or sweetener
Instructions
- Bring the water to a rolling boil in a tea kettle or medium saucepan. Stir in the tea and allow it to boil for 1 minute to help "agitate" the tea leaves.
- Turn off the heat and immediately add the fresh mint leaves. Cover and allow the tea to steep for 5 minutes. Ideally, your tea should be an amber red (a deep red indicates that the tea may have over-steeped).
- Divide the tea among cups (preferably clear teacups), pouring through a small mesh strainer to strain the leaves. Serve with sugar on the side so guests may add as much as they like.
Notes
- Sweeten individually at serving time to allow personalized taste preferences.
- Use purified water rather than tap water for a cleaner, truer tea flavor.
- The tea is best served hot immediately after steeping to enjoy fresh mint aroma.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 18 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 1.8kcal | 0% |
| Carbohydrates | 0.4g | 0% |
| Protein | 0.1g | 0% |
| Fat | 0.02g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.01g | 0% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.01g | 0% |
| Sodium | 12.6mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 14.2mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.2g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 106.2IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 0.8mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 13.2mg | 1% |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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