Chef Zohra
Atay b Chiba (Moroccan Wormwood Tea)
The cold-evening cousin of mint tea: gunpowder green tea brewed with chiba, the bitter winter herb Moroccans use when na'na is scarce and the house needs warming.
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Citronnade à la Menthe (عصير الليمون بالنعناع)
Created by
Whole lemons, mint, sugar, and cold water, blended briefly and strained. This is the summer glass of Moroccan homes and juice counters, tart enough to wake you up.
Beverages
Moroccan
Quick Meal
Budget Friendly
10 min
Active Time
0 min cook•10 min total
Yield6 glasses
When the heat sits on the house, this is the drink you want waiting in the fridge. The lemons go in almost whole, peel and flesh together, because the perfume lives in the skin, not only in the juice. But you blend briefly. That is the rule. Too long, and the white pith gives bitterness to the whole jug.
Use lemons that feel heavy in the hand and mint that stands up fresh, not tired and black at the edges. Sugar is not decoration here, it balances the peel and the acid, so taste before you decide you're finished. La balance est dans les yeux (the scale is in the eyes), and also in the mouth.
Citronnade à la menthe is quick, yes, but quick doesn't mean careless. It belongs to the summer table, to the kitchen after the market, to the glass you hand someone before they even sit down. Une table, c'est une porte qu'on laisse ouverte (a table is a door you leave open), and sometimes that door is cold with condensation.
Morocco's citrus culture grew through medieval Andalusi agronomy and later expanded strongly in the 20th century around regions such as Souss, Berkane, and the Gharb, where oranges and lemons became everyday fruit as well as export crops. Blended citronnade with mint is a modern household and café drink rather than a medieval court preparation, tied to urban juice counters and summer home cooking. Its exact dating is not fixed, which is honest for a drink passed through markets, cafés, and family kitchens rather than written manuscripts.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
medium lemons
Quantity
3
preferably unwaxed, washed very well
fresh spearmint (na'na)
Quantity
1 large handful
leaves and tender stems
sugar
Quantity
90g, plus more to taste
cold water
Quantity
1.25 liters
divided
ice cubes
Quantity
1 cup
for serving
fine sea salt (optional)
Quantity
1 pinch
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| medium lemonspreferably unwaxed, washed very well | 3 |
| fresh spearmint (na'na)leaves and tender stems | 1 large handful |
| sugar | 90g, plus more to taste |
| cold waterdivided | 1.25 liters |
| ice cubesfor serving | 1 cup |
| fine sea salt (optional) | 1 pinch |
Equipment Needed
- •Blender
- •Fine sieve
- •Large 1.5 liter jug
Instructions
- 1
Prepare lemons
Wash the lemons well, especially if you are using the peel. Cut off the hard ends, quarter the lemons, and remove the seeds. If the lemons have very thick white pith, trim away some of it, because that is where harsh bitterness waits.
- 2
Blend briefly
Put the lemon pieces, mint, sugar, optional pinch of salt, and 500ml of the cold water into a blender. Blend in short pulses for 20 to 30 seconds, just until the lemons are broken down and the mint has turned the liquid pale green. Stop there. The peel gives perfume, but too much blending pulls bitterness from it.
If your blender is strong, pulse instead of running it continuously. You want crushed lemon and mint, not a bitter purée. - 3
Strain clean
Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a large jug, pressing gently with a spoon to take the juice without forcing too much pulp through. Add the remaining cold water and stir. The drink should look bright, cloudy, and green-flecked, not thick.
- 4
Taste and chill
Taste the citronnade. Add more sugar if the lemons are sharp, or a little more cold water if it bites too hard. Chill for at least 20 minutes if you have time, then serve over ice with a small sprig of mint in each glass.
Chef Tips
- •Choose thin-skinned, heavy lemons when you can. A dry lemon gives you little juice and too much peel for the glass.
- •Use spearmint, na'na, not peppermint if you can. Spearmint is rounder and belongs naturally with Moroccan tea and summer drinks.
- •Do not let the blended lemon mixture sit unstrained. The longer the peel and pith sit in the liquid, the more bitterness they give.
- •Sugar changes with the lemons. Start with 90g, then taste. Some lemons need a little more welcome.
Advance Preparation
- •This is most alive the day it is made. You can wash the mint and lemons a few hours ahead, but blend and strain close to serving.
- •If making it for a full table, double the recipe and keep it cold in the fridge. Stir before pouring, because the fine lemon pulp settles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 240g)
Calories
65 calories
Total Fat
0 g
Saturated Fat
0 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
0 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
25 mg
Total Carbohydrates
16 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
16 g
Protein
0 g
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