Thé à la Menthe Tunisien — Print Recipe

Sweet green tea infused with fresh mint and served with toasted pine nuts floating on top, a Tunisian social ritual and symbol of hospitality.

Ingredients

1 Rinse green tea leaves with a splash of boiling water, swirl for five seconds, and discard to remove bitterness.
2 Add rinsed tea, bruised mint leaves, and sugar to the teapot. Pour boiling water over and steep for four minutes.
3 Pour a glass and return it to the pot twice to mix the tea evenly and dissolve all the sugar thoroughly.
4 Toast pine nuts in a dry pan for two minutes until just golden, watching carefully as they burn quickly.
5 Pour tea into small glasses, drop a few toasted pine nuts into each glass, and add a fresh mint sprig.
6 Serve immediately while hot. In Tunisia, accepting tea is accepting friendship, and refusing is considered impolite.

Did You Know?

The pine nuts floating in Tunisian tea distinguish it from all other North African mint teas and are non-negotiable for purists.