Making coffee
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Good day, site readers! Turkish coffee is unlike any of the coffee delicacies that gourmets love so much. It has a unique taste, delicious aroma and delicate foam.
Its preparation and method of serving is a special ritual. The drink is known all over the world and is beloved by true gourmets. One cup contains several flavors at once, from sweet to bitter, very thick. The Turkish coffee recipe is quite simple and does not require knowledge of a special recipe or attention during preparation.
The appearance of this delicacy in Turkey dates back to the Ottoman Empire of the 16th century. It was around this time that the first coffee shops appeared, where you could enjoy an invigorating delicacy. It was from then on that eating delicacies became a real ritual. It is worth noting here that it was from Turkey that fortune telling on coffee grounds came to us.
There is another story about the origin of the drink: caravan workers from Asia and Africa learned to prepare it, and only then did it come to Turkey. Due to the fact that the delicacy has gained enormous popularity in Turkey, that is why it is called Turkish coffee. It was here that such a device as the Turkish coffee pot was invented.
How the recipe came about
The Turkish coffee recipe was invented in Yemen. Coffee beans were brought to Yemen from Ethiopia. Initially, Asian caravan workers came up with how to brew Turkish coffee. They cooked it near the fire and heated water on the hot sand. To achieve the desired temperature, move the container closer to the fire or further. There is still an opinion that real Turkish coffee should be prepared on hot sand. They learn how to brew Turkish coffee in Syria, then the Turks learn the secret of the recipe, and Turkish coffee is gaining popularity all over the world.
How to serve
Traditionally, Turkish coffee is poured into small porcelain cups and served to guests on a large round tray along with oriental sweets - halva, marmalade, baklava, marshmallows, candied fruits. To further improve the quality of the drink, it is better to warm up the cups in advance (pour boiling water over them).
You need to drink Turkish coffee in small sips, slightly holding the drink in your mouth to feel the maximum of its taste. After each sip, it is recommended to take a sip of clean, cool water. It washes the taste buds, and the subsequent sip of coffee is perceived in all its flavor and aroma. Water is not a requirement, but only a recommendation.
Turk
In order to brew a delicious aromatic drink, you need to be extremely attentive and careful. First you need to choose the right Turk, depending on how many servings you will brew the drink for. It will not turn out very rich and tasty if you cook it in a pot for two, which only has the capacity for one serving of the drink. When buying a Turk, give preference to the one made of copper. The inner coating of a copper Turk should be made of silver or tin so that the copper does not oxidize. It should be shaped with a wide bottom and a narrow neck so that the coffee aroma is preserved during brewing. If you have the opportunity to prepare a drink on sand, then Turks are sold with a high lower part, so that it is convenient to place it in the sand. And one more important point: the handle on the container should be wooden, which does not conduct heat well, so as not to get burned during cooking.
Turkish coffee pot
In Turkey, coffee is always prepared in a Turkish coffee pot and only in it. In Turkish it is called “cezve”. In the modern world, there are a huge number of devices and machines for making coffee, but Turks prefer to cook the old fashioned way in a copper or aluminum Turk. Turkish coffee pots come in different sizes from small to large, but it is better to buy a medium size with a capacity of 200 ml. It is very rarely prepared in electric Turks and only in conditions where it is not possible to cook it in a more familiar way: on fire, ashes or sand.
Traditional recipe
For those who live in urban areas and who do not have the opportunity to brew a drink on hot sand, we suggest brewing it on the stove at home. To prepare one cup of Turkish coffee, you need:
- Pour one teaspoon of freshly ground coffee beans into the Turk.
- Pour 150 milliliters of water and place the container on the fire.
- Watch the water carefully; when the foam begins to rise, remove it from the heat and carefully remove the foam from the surface of the water with a spoon.
- Return the Turk to the stove and wait for the foam to rise; when this happens, turn off the heat.
- Pour the brewed coffee into a cup and enjoy its aroma and taste. You can add ground spices and sugar to it for variety.
How to cook with a frying pan and sand at home
Professional equipment is good, but if you plan to make Turkish coffee as an experiment or to surprise friends, then an expensive purchase is extremely illogical. Use a few tips and discover the talent of a coffee guru without additional investment.
Cooking at home
Although using sand to brew coffee is not a traditional method, you will have to try this option if you plan to respect national characteristics.
What we need:
- Frying pan with removable handle. Preferably without Teflon coating and with a thick bottom for uniform heating.
- Sand. Experts advise using fine-grained quartz, this ensures fast heating and uniform heat distribution. Well, this is not an axiom. You won't lose anything if you find regular river sand. The main thing is to sift and clean it first.
- Salt. A small amount of salt will need to be mixed with sand. This little secret will replace your purchase of expensive quartz sand and increase the heating temperature.
Turkish coffee
There are different ways to make Turkish coffee. Each method is special; it is a kind of ritual among the Turks. If you have ever visited Turkey and tried Turkish coffee, you have probably noticed with what art and trepidation they brew and serve this wonderful drink. Here's the basic recipe:
- Pour one heaped teaspoon of finely ground coffee beans (Arabica is better) into a Turk;
- Pour soft water for one serving (adjust the amount of grains and water so that the water level reaches the neck of the Turk) and add sugar;
- Place the Turk on the stove over low heat and watch, when you see small bubbles rising, immediately remove it from the heat;
- Do this two more times; when the water level starts to rise the last time, turn off the heat.
How to make Turkish coffee and what you need for it
Definitely, you should try making Turkish coffee yourself. But how to make coffee if you don't live in Turkey? The answer is simple, take everything you need for this. You will need:
- coffee cups
- Turkish coffee pot - coffee pot
- Turkish ground coffee or coffee beans
- water
- sugar - optional
This simple set consists of making coffee. Also, it is worth remembering that making coffee depends on the correct proportions. Coffee in the proportion for 2 people cannot be divided into 4 servings. The taste will be ruined. Therefore, if you decide to make coffee, then:
- immediately decide how many people you need to make coffee for
- take the appropriate utensils: cups and a coffee pot
- buy quality coffee beans or ground Turkish coffee
To prepare Turkish coffee correctly, we will analyze everything in detail and in order.
Turkish recipe with orange juice
To brew coffee beans in a Turk according to this unusual recipe, you will need:
- Finely ground coffee beans - one teaspoon;
- Half a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice;
- Sugar to taste.
As we noticed in this recipe, we will learn how to brew a fruit and coffee drink without water. First, put the empty cezve on the fire to warm it up. Now add the ground grains and pour in the orange juice. Place the cezve on the fire and simmer the mixture over low heat. Add sugar at the end.
Turkish ground coffee or Turkish coffee beans
Turkish coffee uses 100% Arabica beans. Coffee beans are not grown in Turkey due to unsuitable climatic conditions. They are exported from Ethiopia, Brazil and Colombia in raw form and are fried and ground into powder in Turkey. And then they distribute it under Turkish coffee brands. The most popular brands are Kurukahvecı Mehmet Efendi and Kahve Dunyası. Although, in Turkey you can buy Turkish ground coffee in any sweets and dried fruits store. There, special machines grind the coffee into powder right in front of you. But how to make Turkish coffee if you don't have Turkish ground coffee? It's very simple - take well-roasted Arabica beans and grind them in a coffee grinder.
Summer refreshing option
Prepare Turkish coffee according to this recipe and get a wonderful invigorating drink with ice. You will need:
- Half a cup of homemade milk;
- Heavy cream – 10 milliliters;
- Cardamom spice – three pieces;
- Brewed coffee – half a cup;
- Several ice cubes;
- Sugar.
- Pour milk and cream into a container, add cardamom and sugar. Stir and place on the stove. When the mixture boils, combine it with coffee and cool. This cocktail is served with ice; it is suitable for a hot, sultry day. Try cooking, you will like it!
How to do?
- Pour the sand into the frying pan, heat it, let it cool and continue heating over medium heat for a while.
- We press the empty Turk into the sand and warm it up a little by moving it left and right in the sand.
- Immediately add the prepared finely ground coffee.
- Add sugar and our secret ingredients - salt crystals, cardamom, cinnamon (although cinnamon is optional).
- Carefully pour water into the warmed pot with coffee and spices. Just add water without stirring anything!
- Reduce the heat to low, sprinkle the Turk with sand, creating a small slide around it.
- We are waiting for the dark colored foam to rise up to the very edge of the turk. All the coffee is ready - take it out!
Before taking it out, you can also make a few magical movements of the Turk on the sand. This will not affect the result, but it’s beautiful and magical.
All you have to do is wait a little for the coffee beans to settle to the bottom and pour the coffee from the Turk into a cup.
Pour yourself some water for proper Turkish coffee consumption and unpack a packet of halva or Turkish delight. And enjoy life!
Read about Turkish coffee on the website
A short excursion into the history of the drink
Coffee is an essential part of breakfast in Turkey. It is believed that coffee beans were first brought to this country by merchants from Syria approximately in the 15th century. But only a century later, during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, coffee gained enormous popularity among the nobility, and over time, among ordinary residents of the country.
A special person was appointed to brew the drink in the Sultan's kitchen. The process of making coffee is as follows: green beans were fried in large frying pans, then manually ground to a powder, and then the resulting mass was poured with water and boiled.
There are other versions about the appearance of coffee. For example, they say that it was first used in the countries of North Africa and in Asia. But the drink still owes its incredible popularity to the Turks. They also invented a container for brewing coffee, called a Turk, or cezve.
To this day, the city of Istanbul is considered the most “coffee” place in the world. Even today there is a street there that sells Turkish coffee of the highest quality.
With the addition of garlic and honey
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground coffee;
- 100 ml cold water;
- ½ garlic clove;
- ½ teaspoon sugar;
- 1 teaspoon honey.
This recipe suggests using water that has been pre-heated until almost hot.
- Mix coffee with crushed garlic.
- Place the mixture in a pot and fill it with water. Cook using the usual method.
- Place honey in a heated cup and pour in fresh coffee.
- Pour sugar on top of the foam for decoration. The drink does not mix after pouring into a cup.
With orange juice
An unusual drink with a citrus taste is obtained by replacing the water with freshly squeezed juice from fresh oranges:
- 100 ml freshly squeezed orange juice;
- 1 teaspoon coffee;
- ½ teaspoon sugar.
First of all, warm up the empty Turk a little. Then add coffee and sugar, mix and pour in juice. Boil, almost bringing to a boil, three times.
