Tea and coffee are the most popular natural beverages globally. The charming aroma of coffee makes it a big draw among people cutting across geographical boundaries, making it the second most popular drink.
Coffee lovers know very well that, unlike tea that acquires its taste and flavour primarily from the quality of tea leaves, the taste and aroma of coffee are all about precision and perfection in brewing.
The love for coffee makes coffee aficionados turn to filtered coffee that they can brew at home using the typical India coffee filter. Traditional coffee lovers are ready to walk the extra mile and brew coffee at home without taking any shortcuts, only to derive the charm and happiness of true Indian coffee with some distinct ethnic appeal that makes the coffee unique.
Brewing coffee with a human touch
The urge to go back to the roots and get a feel of the tradition and culture drives the Indian diaspora in Australia toward Indian filter coffee, which is entirely Indian in the method of brewing.
Although making Indian filter coffee is time-consuming, the brewing method being completely manual has the human touch that is sorely missing in coffee made in a machine by popping in a capsule and leaving the rest to technology. Machine-made coffee might taste great but the enjoyment derived by sipping at a cup of Indian coffee filtered with precision and care by someone who knows the art of brewing coffee will leave you mesmerized.
Tradition beckons
The liking for filter coffee stems from the desire to revive the fond memories of traditional living that have strong links to the culture of South India, where filter coffee is the brew that binds people together. The potent concoction of Indian coffee with a pleasant smell is brewed in a traditional filter pot from where it derives the name of filter coffee.
The filter used for making Indian filter coffee is perhaps the simplest coffee maker globally, although no one knows who invented it and when. The filter consists of two stainless steel or brass cans, one placed over another. The top chamber has small holes perforated at the bottom to serve as a sieve that aids in filtering the coffee ground placed in that chamber.
Coffee-making goes through two stages –making the concoction and then mixing milk and sweetener to the concentrate to obtain the drink. The taste and freshness of freshly brewed coffee have something addictive because those who have once tried it find it hard to look for any substitute.
The origin of coffee names
The coffee brewing techniques determine the name of the coffee, and the Indian filter coffee refers to the unique filtration technique for preparing the brew. The brewing technique dictates the coffee grind size and the time of soaking the grind in hot water.
Therefore, you must choose the appropriate coffee grind according to the brewing technique. Since the filter size and precision of the filter’s holes play a critical role in producing consistent brew, the taste of the coffee depends on the choice of the right kind of filter. All brands of Indian coffee filters are not the same, and you must be especially careful about the filtration quality that the brand provides.
Handmade decoction
Ground coffee is the ingredient for preparing filter coffee, and the amount of coffee ground depends on whether you want a strong, medium or light brew. For light brew, take 1 to 1.5 teaspoonfuls of coffee ground. For medium brew, take 3 teaspoons of coffee ground and or strong brew; 4 teaspoons of coffee ground should suffice. Spread the coffee ground evenly across the filter plate with your hands or by using the underside of a spoon.
The filter contains a pressing disc with a handle that you must place upon the coffee ground spread. Boil a cup of water in a saucepan, pour it gently into the filter chamber, and cover it with the lid. Leave it for 10-12 minutes, during which the decoction starts percolating into the vessel or can be placed at the bottom.
The time it takes for the process to complete depends on the size of the perforations of the filter, which is bigger, which will speed up the process. Since the quality of the concoction depends on the filtration rate, you must not hurry to complete the process because the type of concoction you prefer might take longer to complete the filtration process.
Once the decoction is ready, add scalding milk and sugar in the right proportion that suits your taste to get a cup of filter coffee ready for serving. Serve the coffee in a small stainless steel glass placed on a dabarah, a small pan shaped vessel. Swashing the coffee several times back and forth between the tumbler and dabarah will help create the thick frothy layer on the top besides mixing the milk and sugar thoroughly.
Hello, My name is Shari & I am a writer for the ‘Outlook AppIns’ blog. I’m a CSIT graduate & I’ve been working in the IT industry for 3 years.