Libyan tea

Ingredients

Tea

• 6 tbspstrong loose black tea, gunpowder or Ceylon
• 1 litrewater
• 250 gsugar

Third round

• 150 groasted peanuts, or blanched almonds

Equipment

• a small long-handled pot, the barrad
• small glasses
• a charcoal brazier or a low gas ring

Directions

1. Put the tea, water and about a third of the sugar into the small pot and set it over a low heat.
2. Bring it to the boil and let it boil hard.
3. Boil it down for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by about half and turned very dark.
4. Pour the tea from the pot into a glass from as great a height as you can manage, then pour it from the glass back into the pot.
5. Repeat this pouring back and forth ten, fifteen, twenty times, raising the pot higher each time. The falling stream drags air into the tea and builds a thick head of bubbles, and a tea served without a proper foam collar is considered badly made.
6. Add more sugar between pours and taste as you go; it should be very sweet.
7. Serve the first round in small glasses, each with a head of foam on top.

Technique

• The proverb given for the three rounds varies, but the pattern of strong, sweeter, then nutty is fixed.
• The pouring takes practice and a scalded hand is a normal part of learning.
• The small barrad pot is cheap and the shape matters for the pour.

Substitutions

• Any strong black tea; gunpowder green is used in some households.
• Almonds in place of peanuts, which is the more expensive version.

Variations

• With mint added to the second round.
• Made with green tea, which is common in the west of the country.
• The Tunisian and Algerian versions, similarly poured and nutted.

History

Brewed in a tiny pot over coals and poured back and forth to raise foam; the third round is served thick over roasted peanuts or almonds.

Frequently asked questions

What is Libyan tea?

Libyan tea is a drink from Libya: syrupy black tea boiled to a foam; third round with roasted peanuts. Brewed in a tiny pot over coals and poured back and forth to raise foam; the third round is served thick over roasted peanuts or almonds.

How long does Libyan tea take to make?

Libyan tea takes 10 min of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes 3 rounds for 4. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Libyan tea?

Yes, within limits. Any strong black tea; gunpowder green is used in some households. Almonds in place of peanuts, which is the more expensive version.