Attaya is more than just a green tea; it’s a way of life in The Gambia. It is served everywhere - in homes, at the work place, out on sidewalks - and is the customary beverage offered to guests.

You want to try it at home? Here is all the information you need:

Ingredients

4 tbsp Chinese Gunpowder green tea (in a tea bag or equivalent)

3/4 cup sugar

1 small bunch of mint leaves

The first stage:

Put the tea leaves and one cup of water in your pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour a bit into one of your cups. Begin pouring the tea back and forth between two cups until you have foam. Keeping the foam in the cup, pour the tea back into the pot. Add 1/4 cup sugar and bring to a simmer. While the tea is reheating, divide the foam into each of the four cups. Once the tea is simmering, pour the tea into two cups. Pour back and forth again until there is more foam, divide between all four cups, and serve.

This tea will taste bitter.

The second stage

Add one cup of water and two mint sprigs to your pot and the used tea leaves. Bring to a boil, add 1/4 cup of sugar, and bring to a boil again. Remove from the heat and pour a bit into one of your cups. Begin pouring the tea back and forth between two cups until you have foam. Keeping the foam in the cup, pour the tea back into the pot and bring to a boil. While the tea is reheating, divide the foam into each of the four cups. Once the tea is simmering, pour the tea into two cups. Pour back and forth again until there is more foam, divide between all four cups, and serve. 

This tea will taste sweet and slightly minty.

The third stage

Add one cup of water and the rest of the mint sprigs to your pot (still keeping the tea and mint from previous stages). Bring to a boil, add 1/4 cup of sugar, and bring to a boil again. Remove from the heat and pour a bit into one of your cups. Begin pouring the tea back and forth between two cups until you have foam. Keeping the foam in the cup, pour the tea back into the pot and bring to a boil. While the tea is reheating, divide the foam into each of the four cups. Once the tea is simmering, pour the tea into two cups. Pour back and forth again until there is more foam, divide between all four cups, and serve.

This tea will taste very sweet and rather syrupy.

Courtesy of http://www.mariespastiche.com/