Indian filter coffee facts for kids
Kaapi served in a metal tumbler, inside the dabarah saucer in which it can be cooled
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Indian filter coffee is a popular coffee drink from South India. People make it by mixing frothed, boiled milk with a special coffee liquid. This liquid comes from finely ground coffee powder brewed in a traditional Indian filter.
Around the world, this drink is often called Madras filter coffee or South Indian filter coffee. This helps people tell it apart from other types of filter coffee.
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History of Indian Filter Coffee
The story of coffee in India began a long time ago. In the 16th century, a saint named Baba Budan went on a trip to Mecca. There, he discovered the amazing drink called coffee.
He wanted to grow coffee back home in India. So, he secretly brought seven coffee beans from the port of Mocha in Yemen. He planted these beans on the hills of Chickmagaluru in Karnataka. These hills are now named the Baba Budan Hills after him.
Later, the British East India Company helped coffee become more popular. They opened the first coffee houses in cities like Calcutta and Madras in the late 1700s. These places were like modern cafes. They even offered newspapers and billiard tables for customers.
In the mid-1900s, the Coffee Board of India opened many Indian Coffee Houses. These places made Indian filter coffee famous across the country. It quickly became a favorite drink for millions of people. Indian filter coffee also traveled to other countries like Malaysia and Singapore. There, it inspired similar coffee drinks.
Coffee Beans Used
Coffee has been grown in India since the 1600s. The most common types of coffee beans used are Arabica and Robusta. These beans grow in the hills of South India. Important growing areas include Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.
The coffee beans are usually roasted until they are medium brown. Then, they are ground into a fine powder. Often, a plant called chicory is mixed with the coffee powder. This mix usually has equal parts of Arabica and Peaberry beans. It also has about 10% to 30% chicory. Adding chicory gives the coffee a special smell, thickness, and color.
How to Prepare Indian Filter Coffee
South Indian filter coffee is made using a special metal device. It looks like two round cups. One cup has a bottom with small holes. This cup fits perfectly on top of another cup, called a 'tumbler'. This leaves space below for the brewed coffee to drip into.
The top cup also has two parts that can be removed. One is a round disc with holes and a handle. The other is a lid.
To make coffee, you put fresh, ground coffee into the top cup. Then, you press the coffee down firmly with the disc. This makes a smooth, even layer. Next, you place the top cup onto the tumbler. You then pour boiling water over the pressed coffee. The lid goes on top.
The coffee slowly drips into the bottom tumbler. The chicory helps the hot water stay longer. This allows the water to soak up more flavor from the coffee grounds.
The coffee liquid that drips out is very strong. It is usually much stronger than regular drip coffee. To drink it, you add one or two spoonfuls of this strong coffee liquid to a cup of boiling milk. Then, you add your favorite amount of sugar.
People drink the coffee from the tumbler. But first, they often cool it down using a wide metal saucer called a dabarah.
The coffee is traditionally served by pouring it back and forth. You pour it between the dabarah and the tumbler. You do this in big, arc-like movements with your hand. This helps to mix the sugar and milk well. It also cools the hot coffee to a good drinking temperature. Most importantly, it makes the coffee frothy without adding extra water. Because of the distance the coffee is poured, some people even call it "Meter Coffee."
Coffee Culture in South India
Coffee is a very important part of life in South Indian states. These include Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala. It is a common custom to offer a cup of coffee or tea to any visitor. Coffee became very popular when the British ruled India. Many years ago, traditional homes would use jaggery or honey instead of sugar in their coffee.
Names for Indian Filter Coffee
You might hear the term Degree Coffee for high-quality filter coffee. There are a few ideas about where this name came from.
One idea is about milk. In the past, milk that was tested and found to be pure was called degree milk. This was because people mistakenly linked the testing tool (a lactometer) with a thermometer. So, coffee made with this "pure" milk became known as degree coffee.
Another idea is about the first brew. When coffee is brewed for the very first first time, it is called the "first degree." This first brew has the strongest flavor. It is strong enough to mix with milk without making the coffee taste weak.
