Turkish Coffee

Nana Lee's Note:

From Saad Fayed, Turkish coffee is famed for the way it is made. It is prepared in an ibrik, a small coffee pot that is heated. Sugar is added during the brewing process, not after, so the need for a serving spoon is eliminated. Cream or milk is never added to Turkish coffee, and sugar is optional. It is always served in demitasse cups. In some regions, your fortune is told by the placement of the coffee grinds left in the cup!

• Total Time: 10 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 2

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of extra fine ground coffee (powder consistency)
• 1⁄8; teaspoon ground cardamom or 1 cardamom pod
• sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring water and sugar to a boil in ibrik.
2. If you do not have an ibrik, a small saucepan will work.
3. Remove from heat, add coffee and cardamom.
4. Return saucepan to heat and allow to come to a boil.
5. Remove from heat when coffee foams.
6. Again, return to heat, allowing to foam and remove from heat.
7. Pour into cup, and allow to sit for a few minutes for the grounds to settle to the bottom of the cup.
8. Cardamom pod may be served in cup for added flavor.
9. TURKISH COFFEE TIPS:.
10. ****** Many people have made note that the coffee did not foam the second boiling. Sorry about that. Maybe if, when you pour the coffee into the cup, you do it from up high. I think I read that somewhere.
11. Turkish coffee must always be served with foam on top.
12. If you can't find finely ground Arabic coffee, you can purchase a bag of coffee at any coffeehouse and ask them to grind it for Turkish coffee. You need to have a powder-like consistency.
13. Do not stir after pouring into cups; the foam will collapse.
14. Always use cold water.

Reviews

[Angellb]

As An Arabic person who drinks 4 to 5 cups of turkish coffee a day, you did it extremely well. This is the way Nana Lee. but you can serve this coffee without foam, it depends on the taste of the person and the sugar should be used to the taste like 1/2 coffee spoon of sugar for the same recipe is u like it medium sweet and 1 if u like it sweet and when u want it little sweet let it be just on the top of the spoon. the spoon of sugar should be leveled not full. Good appetite. By the way my nick name is Nana Too.

[Blueberries and Mortar]

Yay! Since the year I spent in my mom's country, Syria, when I was 5 (it was 17 years ago), I longed for that smell. To me, nothing beats the smell of coffee and cardamom, especially in the morning or after a large meal. I just enjoyed a cup of this recipe, and it's almost as good as when I was there! (Syria's the major thing lacking) When I went back with my mom 6 years ago, we brought back some bags of Turkish coffee. There was 3 types : 5% cardamom, 10% and 15%. I'm always annoyed that my mom never chooses 15%, but I can make my own now! It's simple, I go by weight (yeah, 15% is really a LOT) and I choose a blend of very dark bitter coffee mixed with a light sweet one. Here are some approximations. 5% is regular : it means that for 1 tbsp coffee, you put about 1/8 tsp cardamom. 10% is strong : 1/4 tsp cardamom. 15% is very strong : for the same amount of coffee, you put 1/2 tsp cardamom. That's how I like it!

[MeccaJean]

Very good. Thanks for sharing!