Whether as a refreshing hot beverage in the morning or as post-lunch energiser, coffee holds a special place in our heart. And when speaking of coffee in India, the mention of filter coffee is never missed. Made with just the ideal mix of coffee, water, milk, and sugar, filter coffee is a must-have, especially after a delicious restaurant-style South Indian meal of idli, dosa, vadas, and more. The traditional South Indian method of making filter coffee is by brewing coffee powder and water in a traditional South Indian coffee filter, which is custom-made with right measurements for a perfect cup. But what makes filter coffee stand out is the deep tones of rich coffee, flavoured with foamy milk and sugar. The aroma is enough to make even a non-coffee person crave some. Don’t believe us? Actor Mithila Palkar is proof!
The Little Things actor took to Instagram to share how she isn’t a coffee person, but how South India made her fall in love with it. She shared her side of the story in an Instagram post, encapsulating her love for this South Indian brew, straight from Chennai. In the first picture, she can be seen sipping on filter coffee served in a traditional steel tumbler. In the next video, we could see her pouring the drink into the dabarah saucer just before she savours it. Expressing her feelings in a detailed caption, Mithila wrote, “Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm not a coffee person. But another thing that South India managed to do was make me like filter coffee”. Mithila concluded it cheekily with a question, “This is the first step of conversion, is it?”. Take a look at her post:
Isn’t it enough for us to crave some coffee? For the unversed, dabarah (also pronounced in some regions as 'davarah') is a wide metal saucer with lipped walls, which is used to cool the piping hot coffee first. If you are new to the world of filter coffee, let us tell you that the South Indian staple isn’t brewed in any fancy machine, but with a metal device resembling cylindrical cups. Here’s the complete process of brewing the perfect filter coffee.
Out of the two cylindrical metal devices, one has a pierced bottom that is placed onto the top of the 'tumbler' cup, leaving space beneath for the brewed coffee. The upper cup has two removable parts: a pierced pressing disc with a central stem handle and a covering lid. The upper cup is loaded with freshly ground coffee, which is then compressed with the stemmed disc into a uniform layer across the cup's pierced bottom.
Post this, boiling water is poured in through the upper cup of the tumbler. It is covered with a lid on top, and the appliance is left to slowly drip the brewed coffee into the bottom. The result is a brew much stronger than any latte, often stronger than even espresso, and is drunk from the tumbler. If you are already planning to brew some filter coffee at home, here’s an easier recipe to try.
