Turkish coffee, türk kahvesi in Turkish, is one of the most famous coffees in the world, it’s rich in flavour and simple to make. The right ingredients, along with the original recipe, will leave you with a cup of delicious hot coffee that just might change the way you usually prepare your favourite drink.
The recipe starts with cold filtered water. That way, we avoid chlorine or any similar chemicals that can influence the taste of the coffee. Next, one of the most popular types of coffee used for this particular recipe is Arabica and it has to be extremely fine grounded because it will be added directly into the water. The coffee powder can’t be too robust, otherwise, the coffee will be muddy. Finally, the coffee should be prepared in Ibrik or Cezve, a pot traditionally made of copper which adds a layer of authenticity to the coffee-making process.
Once you have everything you need, you can start preparing your first cup of Turkish coffee and the recipe is quite straightforward:
- Fill your coffee cup with water and pour it into the pot.
- Leave the pot on medium heat for 2-3 minutes before adding two full teaspoons of coffee in it. Resist stirring the coffee to avoid chunks.
- Add sugar to your taste one minute after you added the coffee.
- You can gently stir your coffee once it starts to settle at the bottom of the pot and then turn the heat down.
- It’s just important to make sure the water doesn’t reach a boiling point, otherwise, the foam is lost.
- After bubbles start forming on the surface, turn the heat down to its lowest level for up to 10 seconds.
- When the last step is completed remove the Cezve from the heat source and enjoy!
There is another side to the story that makes the whole experience even more interesting and that is the serving of the coffee. When everything is ready, we can’t just bring coffee to the table as there are certain customs we can follow to add authenticity and revive the ancient tradition.
For example, in Turkish culture, coffee is always served with a glass of water because a sip clears our palate and puts the bittersweet flavour of coffee into the spotlight. Some people also find it hard to adjust to the coffee grounds which accumulate at the bottom of a cup so it is important to sip the coffee gently in order to leave them undisturbed.
Coffee rituals have always emphasized the importance of both hospitality and respect, therefore, we have to pay attention to who will be served first. As a sign of appreciation, the eldest guests should have the privilege.
The sand brings out the glamour of Turkish coffee
We have covered the basic steps of preparing Turkish coffee, so here we will describe a less known ingredient in the Turkish coffee recipe that was more popular in the past. However, experienced coffee-makers know the secret and still use this method when they want the best possible results.
The ingredient we are talking about is, surprisingly, sand. Yes, you read that right-sand. When Turkish coffee is brewed in a standard manner, the cezve is placed over an open fire while in this case the pot is placed deep into the sand that has been previously heated in a pan. This way coffee ends up being baked rather than cooked which brings to the surface a more refreshing aroma and a stronger taste.
Whatever method you use in the end, you won’t regret it. The answer to the question of how to make Turkish coffee leaves us with little doubt on why this particular recipe is still so popular across the world and it would be a shame to miss the chance of being a part of such a rich history. Turkish coffee has survived centuries and with good reason; it brings the best out of coffee not to mention that it teaches us how to be hospitable and respectful of others.
