Ingredients:
1 mate gourd
1 package of yerba mate
hot water, not boiling
metal straw (bombilla)
sugar, to taste (optional)
Instructions:
Fill the mate gourd with yerba mate to about two-thirds full.
Tilt the gourd slightly and use a spoon to compress the yerba mate and create a slight depression in the center.
Pour hot water (not boiling) into the depression until the water reaches the top of the gourd.
Allow the water to steep for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the yerba mate has expanded and softened.
Use the metal straw (bombilla) to drink the mate. Sugar may be added to taste, if desired.
Once the mate has been drunk, the gourd can be refilled with more hot water and yerba mate for multiple servings.
Note: Sharing mate is a cultural tradition in Argentina, so it is common to pass the gourd and bombilla between friends and family members.
