Ingredients
Tea
- 3 tablespoonsChinese gunpowder green tea
- 1 litrewater, for the whole session
To flavour
- a large bunch of fresh mint
- sugar, a great deal of it, about 200 g in total
Equipment
- a small metal teapot
- small glasses, about six
- a charcoal brazier or a small burner
- a tray
Directions
- Put the tea leaves in the small metal pot. Add a little water and swirl it around. Pour that first water off and discard it.
- Bring it to the boil and let it boil for several minutes. Add about a third of the sugar to the pot. Building the foam is the technique that takes practice.
- Pour a glass of tea from the pot. Repeat this back and forth many times. That skill is genuinely admired and takes years.
- Keep going until a thick head of foam has formed. Serving the first round is done in small glasses. Return any tea in the pot and add fresh water. Add a large handful of fresh mint to the pot.
- Bring the pot back to the boil. Boil it for several minutes as before. Repeat the pouring and foaming. Serve it the same way in the small glasses.
- Add fresh water to the same leaves again. Add the rest of the sugar, which is a great deal. Add plenty more fresh mint leaves. Boil it and foam it as before.
- Serve the eldest and the guests first. The whole session takes an hour or considerably more.
Technique
- Green tea reached West Africa through trans-Saharan and Atlantic trade and became central to social life across the region.
- Similar three-round tea rituals are found in Mauritania, Mali and among Tuareg communities.
Substitutions
- Any gunpowder green tea works, and Senegalese shops sell brands specifically for ataya.
- Dried mint can be used out of season, though fresh mint is much better.
Variations
- Mauritanian and Tuareg versions follow the same three-round structure with local differences.
- Moroccan mint tea uses the same leaves but is made in one pot rather than in rounds.
- Some Senegalese makers add a little nana mint essence alongside the fresh leaves.
History
Three rounds are poured from height to raise foam, each sweeter than the last; the hours-long ritual is central to Senegalese sociability.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ataya?
Ataya is a drink from Senegal: three ceremonial rounds of strong minted green tea. Three rounds are poured from height to raise foam, each sweeter than the last; the hours-long ritual is central to Senegalese sociability.
How long does Ataya take to make?
Ataya takes 10 minutes of preparation and 1 hour or more of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4, over three rounds. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Ataya?
Yes, within limits. Any gunpowder green tea works, and Senegalese shops sell brands specifically for ataya. Dried mint can be used out of season, though fresh mint is much better.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ataya?
Serve the eldest and the guests first. The whole session takes an hour or considerably more.
