South Indian Filter Coffee.

Recently, I read an article in the lines of “I prefer to drink a cup of chai than a sub-standard coffee”. Well, I concur to that sentiment. I have been in those situations many times where ‘my kind’ of coffee, expected to be served, I was handed over a sub-standard sugary drink that doesn’t taste anything like a ‘South Indian Filter Coffee’!

Typically, the people from southern part India are coffee lovers. Thanks to the British, who introduced the coffee plantations throughout South India in 1890’s. Since then, coffee is firmly entrenched in every day lives of South Indians. When I say ‘South Indian Filter Coffee’ or ‘Kaapi’ some South Indians call it, it must taste like one and adhere to the standards of its preparation. The coffee prepared by my mother or mother-in-law is always of a high standard, authentic and very special to me. The joy that I get has no limits upon tasting such a magical, aromatic flavored filter coffee. I bet you are dying to find out how it is made?

Grinding and mixing process:

I remember my parents used to ask me to visit the local coffee vendor. This was to get coffee powder with a certain percentage of mix. The coffee powder is freshly prepared by the grinding machines at the shop using the roasted coffee beans and chicory leaves. I was always very eager to fetch it quickly in awe of tasting a freshly made coffee with fine taste and rich aroma.

A perfect coffee powder is all about the percentage of how much coffee powder and chicory power can be mixed together. These percentages tend to vary by individual’s taste but, the combination that always worked at our house was 80% roasted coffee beans powder and 20% chicory powder precisely mixed together. The more chicory powder that you add to the roasted coffee beans, the more of a bitter taste that you get in your coffee.

The Steel Filter:

Typically, every household in South India will have a steel filter used in coffee preparation for the perfect coffee that you always desire.

The steel filter is made up of two chambers – the top chamber is for preparing the special ingredient called ‘Decoction’ and the bottom chamber is for accumulating the final product. This process is nothing but an extraction process where the hot water mixes with the coffee powder, the extract then slowly drips down via the holes into the bottom section. This extraction process itself will take about 20 minutes or so, but it’s worth the wait!

Decoction:

Earlier, I referred to ‘Decoction’ as a special ingredient for the ‘South Indian Filter Coffee’. I think it is and let me explain why. If you pour excess water in the top chamber of the steel filter, the final product, decoction, gets diluted. On the other hand, if the water is not sufficient then the decoction will be too strong for your coffee’s taste, so it needs to strike the right balance so the taste is not degraded.

The ‘perfect’ coffee preparation:

To make a perfect coffee, you need to choose the right kind of milk to go with it. Some people choose cow’s milk and others wish to use buffalo’s milk. I always prefer to use the buffalo’s milk delivered locally every day to your doorstep in South India. The taste can differ in the milk that you’d use when making coffee. The milk needs to be boiled before the decoction and sugar can be mixed together to prepare the drink. The freshly prepared decoction adds a lot of aroma to the coffee. Some prefer to sprinkle instant coffee powders like Nescafé or Bru on top for added taste.

The South Indian style tumbler and its base:

The taste of the coffee increases when consumed in the South Indian style tumbler that comes with a base. The steel metal of the tumbler will keep your drink at the right temperature unlike plastic or paper ones that are prone to heat loss. My preference has always been the steel tumbler instead of a cup made by paper, plastic, ceramic or any other kind of materials. The base is used to protect your hot drink from harming your hands and used to cool off the drink.

Nowadays in South India, you’ll find a lot of new style cafés that offer a variety of coffees: Espresso, Cafe Mocha, Cappuccino, Latte, Macchiato, Americano, Frappe, Filter Coffee etc. They all use machines in its preparation in which the boiling water is forced, under pressure, through the coffee beans. I don’t blame the Industrial Revolution for this, but my preference has always been a hand made coffee. I think, the human touch adds its warmth as if motherly affection is poured into your coffee.

Coffee is the bedrock of the South Indian breakfast too. And it doesn’t need an occasion to drink, it rejuvenates you and can be enjoyed while watching sport or during any recreational activities.

If this article doesn’t tickle your taste buds and makes you crave for the ‘South Indian Filter Coffee’, I don’t know what will. Any decent restaurant in South India that follows this process should serve you one, if not check out Udipi chain of restaurants where you are guaranteed to get a thrill which will suppress your craving for a good coffee. Good luck!