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Bedouin sage tea
Shai bel maramiya: sweet black tea brewed over the fire with wild Sinai sage
Visitors to a Bedouin camp in the Sinai mountains are handed small glasses of this tea almost before they sit down, brewed in a blackened kettle over the fire and sweetened generously. Wild maramiya, the local sage, is dropped in at the end, giving the strong black tea a soft, herbal, slightly camphor scent that is soothing after a long walk or a heavy meal. Garden sage works well, and dried sage is fine in a pinch. Boiling the sage is the mistake to avoid, because it turns the tea bitter. Sage is best taken in moderation and avoided in large amounts during pregnancy. Chef's tip: pour from a height into the glasses; the froth that forms is how Bedouin hosts like it served.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 4 tbsp sugaror to taste
- 1 tbsp loose black tea
- 5 sprigs fresh sageor 1 tbsp dried sage
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring 3 ¼ cups water and 4 tbsp sugar to the boil in a kettle or small pot over a fire or a high flame.
5 minStep 2: Add 1 tbsp loose black tea, lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute until the tea is dark.
1 minStep 3: Take off the heat, push 5 sprigs fresh sage into the pot and leave to steep for 2 minutes. Don't boil it once the sage is in.
2 minStep 4: Strain into small glasses, pouring from a height, and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 60 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bedouin sage tea take?
- About 10 minutes in total: 2 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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