Origin: India (South India)  |  Prep: 5 minutes  |  Brew: 15 minutes (decoction drip)

About This Brew

South Indian Filter Coffee, or 'kaapi', is a ritual of froth and aroma. A traditional two-chamber stainless-steel filter slowly drips a thick, dark decoction from finely ground coffee (often blended with chicory for body and a bittersweet edge). That decoction is then mixed with hot, frothy milk and sugar.

The signature flourish is the pour: the coffee is repeatedly cascaded between a small tumbler and a wide-mouthed davara from a height, cooling it and raising a luxurious foam. The result is strong, milky, sweet and intensely aromatic, with chicory lending a smooth, almost chocolatey depth. It is the everyday morning coffee of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala, served in the classic dabarah-tumbler set.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp finely ground South Indian coffee (80% coffee / 20% chicory blend)
• 150ml whole milk
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• Hot water

Equipment Needed

• South Indian stainless-steel coffee filter
• Tumbler and davara (dabarah) set

Instructions

1. Add the coffee grounds to the upper chamber of the filter and tamp lightly.
2. Pour in hot water, cover, and let the decoction drip through into the lower chamber (10-15 minutes).
3. Heat the milk until hot and frothy.
4. Add a few tablespoons of decoction to a tumbler with sugar.
5. Pour in the hot milk, then pour the coffee back and forth between tumbler and davara from a height to froth and mix.
6. Serve hot in the tumbler-davara set.

Tags: South Asia · Hot · Intermediate