The Secret of Filter Coffee

Category: Food & Drink

The Secret of Filter Coffee Filter coffee has been an integral part of the South Indian community for a very long time. Even today many households do not start their day without a strong filter coffee. The Secret Recipe of Kumbakonam Filter Coffee As detailed in the previous blog Kumbakonam Filter Coffee or the south Indian filter coffee is prepared with a metal vessel that has two cylindrical cups, the upper cup has a one of which has a pierced bottom through which the coffee brew percolates and gets collected in the bottom cup. The upper cup consists of two removable parts namely a pressing disc with a central, a stem handle, and a covering lid. The upper cup is filled with freshly ground coffee and is mixed with chicory. The powder is then compressed with the stemmed disc to spread it evenly across the cup’s pierced bottom. The pressed disc is left alone and boiling water is then poured inside. The lid is then placed on top, and the vessel is left in place to slowly collect the coffee extract into the bottom cup. The chicory helps in holding the hot water longer, extracting more flavour from the coffee powder. The brew obtained by this method is stronger than the western “drip style” coffee. The Amplified Taste The coffee is drunk from the tumbler made of brass or steel , by cooling first with a dabarah – ‘davarah’: a metal saucer with lipped walls. This Coffee is then served after pouring to and fro between the dabarah and the tumbler in huge arc-like motions. This serves in mixing the ingredients thoroughly; cooling the hot coffee down to the optimum temperature; and aerating the mix without adding extra water. This collective method of serving increases the taste of already mouth-watering coffee.