4 Person
5 Min
6 Min
9 Min
Rinse the tea: Place tea leaves in a teapot. Add ~120 ml (½ cup) boiling water, swirl 10 seconds, discard (removes bitterness).
Brew: Add remaining boiling water. Steep 2–3 minutes.
Sweeten & mint: Add sugar and mint. Steep 3–5 minutes.
Aerate: Pour into a glass and back into the pot 2–3 times to mix and foam.
Serving Tradition. Serve very hot in small glasses, often refilling the pot with hot water once for a lighter second round.
Flavor: Bright herbal mint up front; gentle green-tea bitterness balanced by sweetness.
Aroma: Fresh, cooling mint with light vegetal tea notes.
Texture/Mouthfeel: Clean and light; aeration adds a faint foam and perceived smoothness.
Balance Tip: If bitterness dominates, reduce tea quantity slightly or shorten the first steep.
Algerian mint tea—part of the wider Maghrebi tea tradition—emerged in the 19th century with the introduction of Chinese gunpowder green tea to North Africa via Mediterranean trade routes. In Algeria, it became a ritual of hospitality, serving to welcome guests and mark social gatherings. The distinctive practice of aerated pouring (from height) cools the tea slightly, evenly mixes the sugar, and creates a light foam.
Per Serving (Approximate values)
