Kopi Gu You (Malaysian Butter Coffee)
Origin: Malaysia | Prep: 3 minutes | Brew: 5 minutes
About This Brew
Kopi Gu You (literally 'cow oil coffee') is an old-school kopitiam order where a knob of butter is dropped into a hot cup of strong, sweet black coffee. Once a remedy offered to anyone feeling under the weather or fighting a cold, it survives today as a nostalgic comfort drink in older coffee shops, particularly around Ipoh and the Klang Valley.
As the butter melts it lends the coffee a glossy sheen, a rounded richness and a subtle savoury-sweet note that softens the dark-roast bitterness. It predates the Western 'bulletproof coffee' trend by generations, proving that buttered coffee is no modern invention. Served piping hot, it is rich, soothing and unexpectedly luxurious.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp dark-roast (Nanyang-style) coffee, coarsely ground
- 1-2 tsp salted butter
- 1-2 tsp sugar (or condensed milk, to taste)
- Hot water
Equipment Needed
- Cloth coffee sock or fine strainer
- Cup
Instructions
- Brew a strong cup of black coffee through a cloth sock or strainer.
- Add sugar (or condensed milk) and stir to dissolve.
- Drop in the knob of butter while the coffee is hot.
- Stir gently as the butter melts into the coffee.
- Serve immediately while hot and glossy.
Tags: Southeast Asia · Hot · Easy
