My grandmother for passing the coffee gene to us.
My father from whom I learned the art of making strong coffee.
My mother/mother-in-law for handing me the coffee as soon as I brush my teeth.
My sisters who never compete with me for strong coffee.
My family friend Latha Rajan for introducing me the Coffee Grinder.
My cousin Krithiga for introducing awesome coffee powder "Cafe Bustelo".
My friends wanted me to write the exact method that I follow to make coffee. Let's see the "things"needed for that exact method:
Coffee Grinder
Coffee Powder(Of course)
Filter
Water(!!)
Milk
Sugar
Tumbler & Dabara
Coffee Seeds/Powder: Seeds/powder you've to grind. Cafe Bustelo is the best of all coffee powders that I've ever tasted. Earlier only Spanish stores were carrying Cafe Bustelo. Now it is available in almost all American Grocery. But Cafe Bustelo is pricey. If you are everyday coffee drinker like us, Cafe Bustelo won't work out. If not, you can indulge in Bustelo. For starters, buy store brand coffee powder(it will be cheaper,in the making you may waste some) from your local grocery. Once you get the hang of making coffee, you can graduate to branded coffee powders. For everyday coffee drinkers, Costco is the only source. We buy house blend from there, you can buy anything you want. Fill the grinder with seeds/powder and grind nicely. The ultimate yield should neither be coarse as pepper powder nor be smooth as baby powder. If the powder is too coarse, your decoction will be watery. If the powder is too smooth, your decoction will be powdery. You get Narasus Coffee and Kothas in Indian stores. Narasus is too pricey, Kothas is too chicory.
Coffee Filter: I never used American coffee maker I have Indian Coffee maker but I won't use. Coffee maker is for the crowd. Also, I believe my coffee tastes better when brewed in filter. I have filter in all sizes(S,M,L) and I'm planning to start an new hobby "Filter Collection"!! Filter is a must for good strong coffee. No ifs and buts.
Now let's make decoction:
Coffee Powder - 8 teaspoons
Water - 3/4 cup
(This measure is for the filter size pictured above and yields roughly 60 ml of decoction. You can make 2&1/2 cups of coffee).
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| Before Patting |
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| After patting |
1)Watery decoction - You might not have pressed the coffee powder properly. Since the coffee powder is not tightly packed, as soon as you poured the water, the coffee powder would've yielded way to the water immediately. The water should seep through the powder. You can't do anything with the decoction other than draining down the drain.
2)No decoction at all - You might have over pressed the powder. There wouldn't have been any way for the water to seep through. You might still see the water in the holed container. In this case, use a fork and gently pierce the coffee powder here and there. Don't over do it. Within minutes if you hear the water dripping, rest assured your piercing is working well. If not,……..down the drain only.
3)Perfect decoction - The decoction will be all brown and you won't see any water in it.
Final Step: Making of Coffee
Milk - 200 ml
Since our decoction is strong, use 1% milk. If you use fat-rich milk
you will taste the milk. Do not use organic milk either.
If you use skim milk you will taste the decoction.
Our goal is to taste the coffee.
Regular 1% milk will give you best results.
Sugar - 1&1/4 tspn - You will taste the bitterness of coffee.
1&1/2 tspn - Perfect
2 tspn - O.K.
>2 tspn - Are we making coffee kheer here?
Decoction - 1/4th cup
(Do not heat the decoction in any way. It will lose its taste and flavor. Instead heat your milk how much ever you want).
Boil the milk in a pan. Meanwhile take the decoction in a tumbler add your required amount of sugar. Swoosh the mixture between tumbler and dabara till the decoction gets frothy. When the milk reaches its boiling point, remove from the fire, move the cream aside with your mouth and pour the milk on top of the decoction. (Leave the cream to the pan only). Again swoosh the mixture for couple of times. (don't overdo this, your coffee will become cold and you will taste only froth). Now your coffee is ready to hit your palate.
If you've any doubts, please don't ask me!!I'm better off giving you a cup of coffee than clearing your doubts. Come to think of it, as a part of "National Coffee Day", coffee chains are offering free coffee to its customers. To honor the day, I'll also offer free coffee to my friends and family. Bring your own milk and sugar.
If you are a coffee lover (since you are reading this you should be) and you like movies... I meant movie(Chandramukhi/Manichitrathazh/Aaptha Mithra/Bhool Bhulaiyaa....) you will like this( 2 minutes) video of mine. Though it is in Tamil, I'm sure you will understand 😎
