South Indian Filter Coffee: Deep, Rich, Smooth Morning Cuppa

There is nothing like starting the day with a piping hot cup of coffee. It can be savoured at any time during the day, too, and every cup of coffee is just as refreshing. The rich aroma and smooth, slightly bitter, and sweet taste of coffee is addictive. It takes a single whiff of coffee to awaken the senses. The quality of coffee depends on the quality of the coffee powder blend and the method in which it is made. One such example that comes to mind is the South-Indian style Filter Coffee.

This coffee preparation is easily one of India's prides. 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 all the right measurements for that perfect cuppa.  The deep tones of coffee are flavoured with foamy milk and sugar as per taste preference. One can even drink black coffee, without milk and sugar. 

Coffee beans are the seeds of the fruit called coffee cherries, which grow on coffea plants. There are two kinds of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. 

Coffee beans are slightly roasted and then made into a fine powder mixed with chicory, a herbaceous plant, which is used not just in coffee but also in other foods as a flavour enhancer. 

Origins of coffee in India 

It is believed that coffee was brought to South India around the 16th Century by a Sufi saint, Baba Budan, who hailed from Karnataka. He had apparently secretly brought coffee beans from the port of Mocha, in Yemen, and had planted the beans in Chandra Giri Hills in Chikmagalur. South Indian Filter Coffee became popular around the 1940s, and eventually was introduced outside India, in Malaysia. 

Health benefits of coffee

Studies suggest that consuming coffee in low quantities can boost energy and concentration, but an excess of it can cause anxiety and even insomnia. 

Here is a recipe for South Indian Filter Coffee: 

Ingredients

1. 3-4 tablespoons of good quality coffee powder
2. Coffee filter 
3. Sugar
4. Milk
5. Water

Method

1. Add 3-4 tablespoons of coffee powder and a pinch of sugar in the coffee filter
2. Boil about 200 ml of water, and one half of the water and wait till it percolates, and then add the rest, and cover the filter, wait till the concoction is ready 
3. Boil milk as per taste preference in a pan, about one or two cups of milk, ensure the milk is made frothy by pouring it into a empty cup and back into the pan, add sugar as per taste preference to the milk
4. Pour the concoction into tumblers and slowly add the milk till foamy milk fills to the brim (you can skip this step if you prefer black coffee)
5. Serve the coffee hot

Coffee can be enjoyed by itself or with breakfast or even after a heavy meal.