Want to know how to make South Indian filter coffee? You've come to the right place.
In this article, we will look at what South Indian filter coffee is and how to make it.
Let's get started.
What Is Filter Coffee?
Filter coffee is a strong, invigorating signature South Indian drink. It is prepared by mixing hot milk and coffee.
The coffee is brewed by pouring boiling water through a layer of pre-ground coffee beans.
There are other names for this drink: Mysore filter coffee, filter kaapi, degree coffee, and more.
It is believed that coffee first appeared in India in the early 17th century in the state of Karnataka.
Legend has it that Muslim saint Baba Budan of Chikmagalur quietly carried seven coffee beans in his beard and planted them on the Chandragiri hills in Karnataka.
By the 19th century, coffee culture had taken over most of South India. People began to add milk to their coffee and sweeten it with palm sugar and honey.
How to Make Filter Coffee
South Indian filter coffee is brewed in a metal pot made of two cylindrical cups. One cup has a hole in the bottom. It is placed on top of the second cup, into which the finished drink flows.
Let's take a closer look at the brewing process for this coffee.
What do you need to make a filter coffee?
To make filter coffee, you need a South Indian filter. These can be found in specialized Indian stores or can be easily ordered online.
You also need special coffee powder—finely ground coffee that's designed for making filter coffee.
If you use instant coffee, your filter coffee will fail.
You may also need milk, chicory, or sugar, depending on your personal preferences.
Basic Indian Filter Coffee Recipe
Here's how to make South Indian filter coffee:
- Gather 3 tablespoons of coffee powder, 1 cup of hot water, 1 cup of milk, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
- Pour the coffee powder into the top cup of the coffee maker. Spread it out with a disc and press down.
- Then fill the top cup with hot water three-quarters of the way or almost completely.
- Place the lid on top and wait for all the water to drain into the lower container. This will take about 10-12 minutes.
- When the coffee is brewed, heat the milk.
- If you use the dabara set for serving, add sugar to either the dabara or the serving cup. Then fill the dabara 1/3 full with the boiling milk.
- Then pour the brewed coffee into the cups. Your coffee is ready to drink!
However, there are still a few more steps you can take if you're serving this coffee traditionally. We'll explore those below.
How to drink filter coffee
When serving filter coffee, you can add a little sugar or boiling milk, but this is a matter of taste.
Traditionally, South Indian filter coffee should be drunk straight from the bottom cup immediately after preparation.
It is often slightly pre-cooled before being drunk. For this, a dabara set, consisting of a deep metal saucer and a glass, is used. Dabara sets can be made of stainless steel or, for a more traditional look, copper or brass.
The finished coffee is poured back and forth between the coffee maker and the dabara several times, at a height of about one meter. Because of this method, the coffee is sometimes called meter-kaapi. The repeated pouring cools the coffee and ensures that the ingredients are mixed perfectly.
How to Achieve Great-Tasting Filter Coffee
If your South Indian filter coffee doesn't taste good enough, there are several ways to improve it.
Our recipe uses 3 teaspoons of coffee powder to make a medium-strength drink.
For stronger coffee, use 4 scoops of coffee powder.
If you like lighter coffee, then use 1.5 to 2 teaspoons.
You can also add ground chicory root to the coffee powder when preparing South Indian coffee. It retains water better than ground coffee, so the finished drink will have a stronger and more pronounced coffee aroma.
