Have you seen those mesmerizing videos on social media of making Turkish coffee on hot sand? I just love how this coffee is made traditionally. If you think Turkish coffee is made of Turkish beans, then let me clarify it first – Turkey doesn’t have its own coffee beans. They use Arabica coffee beans that are finely ground and then used for coffee making. And it requires more cooking than brewing.
The coffee beans are so finely ground that the grind may look like cocoa powder when you first see it. To make this coffee, ground coffee is combined with water and sugar (optional) in cezve or ibrik (a special coffee pot), simmered over the lowest flame, or made on sand (traditionally).
It is a thick and frothy coffee with a strong aroma that can excite your taste buds before even taking a sip of it. Enough with all the information, are you ready to learn how you can easily make Turkish coffee at home? Let’s get started then.
Turkish Coffee Ingredients
- Cold filtered water
- Ground coffee, such as Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi Turkish Coffee.
- Sugar (optional)
Extras
How to Make Turkish Coffee
As long as you know a couple of tricks, making Turkish coffee won’t be difficult and requires no complex skills.
Step 1
Use cold, filtered water. To measure the water, use the coffee cup in which you want to serve the coffee later. When it comes to measuring water for Turkish coffee, the rule of thumb is 1.5 cups of water per cup because some of it will evaporate during the cooking.
Step 2
For each cup of coffee, use a heaping teaspoon of ground coffee (you can use the one I mentioned above for great flavor). If you also want to add sugar, make sure to add it in the beginning and stir it until combined well.
Step 3:
Pour the mixture of coffee, water, and sugar in a pot of cezve, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. This will take about 3 to 4 minutes, so keep a close eye on it, or else you will see it pouring out of the pot in no time. As the coffee warms, a dark foam will build on its top.
Don’t worry about this foam because it is customary to serve Turkish coffee with foam on the top. When the mixture is close to boiling, grab a teaspoon, take the foam from it and transfer it into each coffee cup. After this, return the pot or cezve to the stovetop.
As the coffee comes to the boil again, pour half of it into the cups, and put it back on the stovetop. Boil the remaining coffee for about 10 to 15 seconds and fill the cups, and that’s it! Your delicious coffee is ready to serve.
How to Serve Turkish Coffee the Right Way
The best way to serve this coffee is with a glass of cold water. A sip of it will allow the person to clear his palate before drinking the coffee, hence he/she can enjoy it to the fullest. In addition to water, Turkish people also serve it with sweet treats like chocolate, candies, Turkish delights, etc.
If you are serving coffee to your guests, make sure to start with the most senior one in the room. It is considered a sign of respect.
Since Turkish coffee is much denser than other types, it is not customary to drink more than one cup. I have seen some people adding milk or cream to their Turkish coffee, but Turkish people would never do this, to be honest.
How to Store Ground Coffee
Once you have bought ground coffee, it is important to store it the right way. Doing so will help keep its aroma and texture fresh for a long time. Following are some tips to store your Turkish ground coffee:
- Store it in a dry and cool place, away from direct sunlight.
- Make sure never to leave a metal spoon in the container.
- Keep the coffee in an airtight container or a glass jar with a tight lid.
- Once you open the package, don’t keep it open. Instead, put it in an airtight container. If the package remains open, the air causes the ground coffee to get stale.
