Origin: Malaysia & Singapore  |  Prep: 3 minutes  |  Brew: 5 minutes

About This Brew

Order 'kopi' in any Malaysian or Singaporean kopitiam and you tap into a whole coded language of coffee. The base is Nanyang-style: a robusta-heavy blend roasted with margarine and sugar until dark and glossy, then brewed strong through a cloth sock. Standard 'kopi' arrives with sweetened condensed milk; 'kopi-O' is black with sugar; 'kopi-C' uses evaporated milk and sugar; add 'kosong' for no sugar or 'peng' for iced.

The margarine-and-sugar roast gives the coffee its signature character: bittersweet, toasty, caramelised and full-bodied, with a smoothness that cuts through the tropical heat. It is the everyday coffee of the region, served fast and cheap in thick porcelain cups alongside kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Nanyang-style (margarine-roasted) coffee or strong dark-roast, coarsely ground
• 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (for standard kopi)
• Hot water

Equipment Needed

• Cloth coffee sock or fine strainer
• Cup

Instructions

1. Add ground coffee to a cloth coffee sock placed in a pot or jug.
2. Pour hot water through and let it steep briefly for a strong brew.
3. Spoon condensed milk into a cup.
4. Pour the hot coffee over the condensed milk and stir.
5. Serve hot, or pour over ice for kopi peng.

Tags: Southeast Asia · Hot · Easy