How to make Arabic coffee
One of the fun aspects of trying different coffees is learning about different cultures of the world. In many cultures, drinking coffee is a traditional social activity, and Arabic coffee is no different. This coffee is prepared by boiling it on the stovetop in a small pot called a briki. When ready, it’s transferred to an ornate coffee pot called a dalla for serving. Although there are many versions, Arabic coffee is typically served strong and unsweetened, flavored only by cardamom.
Instead of having a well-defined recipe with exact measurements, this way of making coffee is passed down through Arabic families as taught by the matriarch or patriarch. Using a “heaping spoonful” to measure coffee and the serving cup to measure water is a common way to begin. Below, we will walk you through how to make traditional Arabic coffee at home.
Traditionally, this coffee is served unstrained, with the fine grounds settling at the bottom. Adding a little cold water will help the coffee grounds settle to the bottom of the pot. Be careful not to drink the last sip, or you may end up with a mouthful of grounds! If you don’t like grounds, you can pour your coffee through a fine strainer.
You can buy cardamom pre-ground or in whole pods. As with coffee, you’ll get the strongest flavor from freshly-ground cardamom, and you can grind coffee beans and cardamom pods together or separately. But don’t worry — pre-ground cardamom is also delicious, and that’s what we used for this guide.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Ground Arabic coffee
- 3 cups water
- 3 Cardamom pods
- small pinches saffron
Directions
- Add Arabic coffee and water to a teapot or saucepan.
- Boil the coffee vigorously on medium-high heat for 10 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat. Crush the cardamom with the side of a knife, then add the saffron to the coffee. Cover and let steep for 2-3 minutes.
- Strain the coffee through a sieve into a dalla, thermos, or teapot, and serve alongside dates or sweets.
History of Arabic Coffee
Legends have it that the shepherds of Arabia first discovered the Coffee. Their goats, which chewed certain berries, were more active. Later, the Arabs started using these to make energy drinks.
The coffee culture of Arabs predates that of the west by centuries. The English word ‘coffee’ itself was derived from the ‘Koffie’ in Dutch, which was from Turkish ‘kahve’, which has its roots in the Arabic word Qahwah.
According to UNESCO, Gahwa originated in the Arabian peninsula. Emphasizing the importance of preserving these traditions, UNESCO added the Arabic Coffee and Majlis to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritages in 2015.
How to make Arabic Coffee “Qahweh”?
Before starting, you need these things to make Coffee.
- A stove for the fire.
- For the best Arabic Coffee, grinding it fresh is essential. So, get a grinder. Even a mortar and pestle is usable but means slightly more work.
- A pitcher vessel to brew.
- Cups to serve. Traditionally, it is done in small handleless cups.
- Good quality coffee beans.
- Though spices are not necessary, that’s how it is usually made. Depending on your taste, you can add cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, saffron, etc.
- The taste of the Coffee is dictated to a great extent by the roast of the beans, along with its freshness and quality. The degree of roast varies from region to region. It can be light, medium, or dark. In the UAE, Coffee is made with lightly roasted beans.
- Because the Coffee is served unfiltered, grinding the beans with fine particles is essential to make them drinkable. So if you are grinding by hand, spend enough time and effort to make them pleasing.
- Now that everything is ready, next is an essential part; the brewing.
1. Prepare the coffee powder and spices
For a great cup of coffee, the quality of the beans and the fineness of the ground are essential. Grind the beans to an excellent powder. One serving (about 60 ml) requires a spoonful of coffee powder. Grind the spices to a fine powder and separate them from the coffee powder.
2. Heat the water
Fill water in Dallah and boil it. When the water boils, please remove it from the stove and cool down for about 30 seconds.
3. Add Arabic Coffee Qahweh
Put the coffee powder in Dallah and heat it again without stirring the contents. Once the water starts boiling again, lower the flame and let it simmer for 10 minutes. When you see the foam rising to the top, remove the pot from the stove.
4. Add the Spices
Now add the ground mixture of spices to Dallah and put it back on the fire. Heat until the foam is formed on the top of it.
5. Serve the Arabic Coffee
Let the Coffee sit still to allow the foam to disappear and the grounds to settle to the bottom of the pot.
Okay, you are ready to serve now. Serve the Coffee to finjan through a filter. Traditionally the Coffee is served without sugar, but there is no harm in lightly sweetening the Coffee if you like so. But milk and cream are a no-no.
The Coffee is cooked after adding sugar and spices rather than adding them later. So don’t forget to specify your preferences before it’s brewed. Also, sip slowly to avoid taking in the grounds with the Coffee.
The right way to serve Qahwa
Drinking Coffee in Khaleej is more of a social affair than anything else. Gahwa is an inevitable part of family gatherings, business meetings, and Arabic Majlises. And preparing and serving them is art.
The person serving the Coffee to guests is called Muqahwi. A Muqahwi should be mature and at least 15 years of age so that he won’t spill the Coffee on the guests and interact gracefully with them. He has to hold the coffee pot (Dallah) in the left hand and the Finjaans in the right.
