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Loading...Hassaniyya Three-Round Tea is the soul of Mauritanian hospitality, brewed in a small kettle over coals and poured from height into small handleless glasses. The same leaves are steeped three times, with sugar added in increasing amounts each round, producing a progression from bitter-strong to balanced to gloriously sweet. Sharing it is a social ritual, typically accompanied by dates or roasted peanuts.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings4
Yield4 small glasses (3 rounds each)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 145 kcalCalories
- 0 gFat
- 0 gSaturated Fat
- 36 gCarbs
- 0 gFiber
- 34 gSugar
- 0.5 gProtein
- 12 mgSodium
- 28 mgPotassium
- 18 mgCalcium
- 0.4 mgIron
- 3 mgVitamin C
- 210 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the tea base
- 3 tbsp gunpowder green tea (about 15 g)
- 4 cups (950 ml) fresh water, divided
- 2 large handfuls fresh spearmint sprigs (about 30 g), plus extra for serving
For the three sugar rounds
- Round 1: 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Round 2: 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- Round 3: 4 tbsp granulated sugar
Directions
- Bring 1 cup (240 ml) of water to a gentle boil in a small Moroccan-style teapot or saucepan. Add the gunpowder tea, swirl for 30 seconds, then pour off this first bitter rinse water to clear the leaves of dust and tannins.
- Return the pot to medium heat with the remaining 3 cups (710 ml) of water. Add the fresh mint sprigs and the Round 1 sugar (2 tablespoons). Bring just to a simmer, then remove from heat and let steep for 3 minutes; the brew should be deep amber and noticeably bitter-strong.
- Pour the first round from a height of about 12 inches into small heatproof glasses to build a pale foam on top. Serve immediately while bitter and bracing; this is the 'wake up' pour for honored guests.
- Return the same leaves and mint to the heat, add the Round 2 sugar (3 tablespoons), and simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes. The color deepens to a rich caramel-amber and the flavor rounds out, balancing bitterness and sweetness. Pour from height into fresh or rinsed glasses and serve as the second round.
- Add the Round 3 sugar (4 tablespoons) to the pot and simmer a final 4 to 5 minutes, until the tea turns a deep mahogany and tastes unmistakably sweet, almost like liquid candy with a tea backbone. Pour once more from height to create a thick foam cap and serve the sweetest round last, traditionally with dates, almonds, or roasted peanuts.
Cook’s Notes
- Always use gunpowder-style rolled green tea; it holds up to three long steepings without turning flat the way sencha does.
- The pour from height is not just for show, it aerates the brew and creates the signature pale foam (called 'rasa') on top of each glass.
- Never reboil the tea once steeped; keep it at a bare simmer between rounds to preserve the fresh, grassy notes from the mint.
- Serve alongside Medjool dates or roasted, salted peanuts, which are the classic Mauritanian pairings for the three rounds.
