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Mauritanian · West African

Mauritanian atay (green tea ceremony)

Vegetarian

Strong gunpowder green tea brewed with sugar and fresh mint, poured from a height to raise a thick foam and served in three rounds — the first bitter, the second sweeter, the third sweetest. The centre of Mauritanian hospitality.

Mauritanian atay (green tea ceremony) is a Mauritanian hot drink, ready in about 45 minutes and made with green tea leaves, sugar and mint. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep
5 min
Cook
40 min
Total
45 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Calories
58

Ingredients

6 small glasses per rounds

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the dry tea leaves in a teapot (opens in a new tab) with a splash of boiling water and discard it. Add 200 ml boiling water and simmer on a small burner for 5 minutes until very dark.

  2. Step 2

    First round: add a third of the sugar (opens in a new tab) and a few mint (opens in a new tab) sprigs, then pour the tea into a glass from as high as you can and back into the pot several times until a thick foam forms. Fill small glasses with foam first, then tea.

    • 10 min

    Patience with the pouring is what makes the foam (the 'crown').

  3. Step 3

    Second and third rounds: add 200 ml more water, more sugar (opens in a new tab) and fresh mint (opens in a new tab) to the same leaves each time, simmer, foam and serve — each round becomes lighter and sweeter.

    • 23 min
    • low heat

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Commonly attributedSweet green tea with mint spread across North and West Africa from the 19th century; the long three-round foaming ritual is especially characteristic of Mauritania, Senegal (ataya) and the western Sahara.Also popular in Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, The Gambia, Morocco
Dish
Snack · Hot drinks
Cooking method
Boiled
Taste
sweet, bitter, herby, refreshing
Diet
Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Green tea leaves · Sugar · Mint
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

58 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 116 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 0%
  • Carbohydrate 100%
  • Fat 0%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy58 kcal50 kcal
Protein0 g0 g
Carbohydrate15.1 g13 g
Net carbohydrate15 g13 g
Sugars15 g12.9 g
Added sugars15 g12.9 g
Fibre0.1 g0 g
Fat0 g0 g
Saturated fat0 g0 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium2 mg2 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
4 mg
Calcium
12 mg
Iron
0.1 mg
Magnesium
3 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
2 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
1 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): green tea leaves.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • The three rounds are said to be bitter like life, sweet like love and gentle like death — a common saying across the Sahel.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the tea hard — it becomes harsh; keep it at a bare simmer.

Serve with

  • Serve after a meal, with dates or peanuts.

Storage

  • Make and drink fresh; atay does not keep.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sip & Blend

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The body of the dish

Gravy, sauce & base

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sip & Blend

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