Coffee is one of the drinks that we find in all countries, with different flavors and mixtures, but with an exquisite taste that delights even the most demanding palates. Today we want to share with you how to make Moroccan coffee at home. This recipe is inspired by the coffee I had overlooking the Ouzoud Falls, which I think was the best coffee I had in Morocco.
Its origin is found in the Arab world and this is where the name of the Arabian coffee recipe that we are going to share with you today comes from. Coffee in Arabic is Qahwa.
According to researchers, the first evidence of a coffee plant dates from 575 BC, so it’s been years! It was the Arab culture that took care of its diffusion and commercialization.
Therefore, just adding the word Arabic to coffee gives a superior air and excellence to this drink, which as we have said is perhaps the most consumed in the whole planet and certainly in the whole universe.
Coffee’s well-earned fame is due to the millennial presence of this bean and its infusions on different continents.
There are many centuries in which its consumption has been considered a fundamental drink, whether it is for breakfast, a snack or after meals.
Its varied preparations and recipes are still highly regarded today.
Other gifts that the Arab culinary culture has spread throughout the world are some of its spices. Spices have been added to the gastronomic traditions of both the East and the West, not only in coffee recipes, but also in many other foods that we traditionally eat.
Among these species of Arab origin are:
Cinnamon, which is used in hundreds of thousands of recipes, has an unmistakable taste and aroma. What do you also use it for cooking?
Cardamom is a species widely used in dessert recipes, as well as in starters and main dishes. These days I will bring you some of these recipes so that you can check the formidable flavor it gives to your meals.
But also the species of coffee called Moka, whose name is Arabic, is one of the most cultivated in the coffee plantations of any nation, even some of these species planted in the Arab lands, have a very high value in the European and American trade.
The price of its grains in the western trade can reach thousands of dollars.
The Arab coffee, for its organoleptic characteristics, said in a simpler language, for its form taste, color and flavor, which are unique, makes this recipe of coffee is consumed in places of excellence, due to the high price of sale.
How to Prepare Moroccan Coffee Easily
Ingredients
1 small cinnamon stick
Half a cardamom seed
6 tablespoons of ground Mocha
6 small cups water, you can use the same cups as the coffee
Preparation
To prepare the Moroccan coffee, the first thing we will do is heat the water until it reaches 100ºC. We pour in the ground coffee and lower the heat to the minimum.
When the foam begins to rise, remove the container with the coffee from the heat and leave it to rest for a few minutes.
Later we introduce the species (cinnamon, cardamom and coffee) in a silk cloth bag and we close it hermetically.
When the coffee foam comes down, we put the bag with the spices inside the container.
Put the container back on the heat so that at a slow pace, it reaches boiling temperature again.
When the foam rises again, remove the container from the heat and cover it.
Leave the mixture to rest for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the bag with the spices.
Serve the coffee slowly in each cup. It has to be very slow so that the coffee grounds remain at the bottom of the container and do not fall into the cups.
We accompany it with some sachets of sugar so that each person can sweeten it to their taste.
The Arabian coffee, unlike the one we are used to drink daily, is consumed at a warm temperature, since it brings out its taste and aromatic properties. It is served in small cups without handles.
Adding Other Spices to Coffee
The key is to flavour the coffee with different spices to discover new flavours. There are as many aromas as there are places in the world and discovering them is a real experience. Here are some of the spices that combine perfectly with coffee. The key is to aromatize the coffee with different spices to discover new flavors.
If you are looking for a stronger flavour, star anise, especially from China, is a good option. As its name indicates, it has a star shape that makes it a special one that, besides flavoring, decorates our dishes. It is also used in many recipes and in drinks. Of course, it is also used in coffee.
If you prefer to sweeten the day, try the Indonesian nutmeg. It is a spice that we can sprinkle fearlessly on our freshly brewed coffee already in the cup. Nutmeg has a sweet to spicy taste and it is this contrast that makes it so special.
“Store the coffee with vanilla sticks, cinnamon or cloves to imbue it with flavor”
If we do not want to risk, we just want to aromatize our coffee with more well-known flavors, we will try with vanilla, cinnamon or cocoa, essential ingredient in any cappuccino. They give it the special touch we are looking for. As with nutmeg, we can sprinkle on the coffee cup or aromatize the coffee before introducing it into the coffee maker.
My favorite way to enjoy coffee is a good cup of espresso made correctly, with good natural, freshly ground beans, quality water and respecting the right temperatures, without over-sweetening. But from time to time I like to try other options, and add special aromas depending on the day. My favorites are those that bring spices such as cinnamon or nutmeg, and there are several ways in which we can integrate them into the coffee.
Correctly Storing Coffee beans
Coffee should be stored in airtight containers and in dry places away from sources of light and heat, away from other possible strong odours, as it could absorb them. But we can take advantage of that capacity of the coffee to give it a specific aroma, just by adding different products to the container where we have stored the coffee.
Whether we buy the coffee in beans or already ground, a very simple way to add a different touch is to mix it with certain elements, which will gradually unfold their aromas to the packaged coffee. The best options are spices, such as one or two cinnamon sticks, a few cloves or some cardamom pods. A good vanilla pod also gives interesting results, better if we cut it in half.
This is perhaps the simplest method of giving aromas to coffee, although it is true that when preparing the infusion some of the intensity that the product does have when dry is lost. If we always use the same container to store the coffee, with the passage of time the touch of the aromas will become stronger, so it is better not to mix different aromas with this procedure.
About Grinding Coffee
It is more than advisable to buy the coffee beans freshly roasted and grind them at home just before making our coffee, as this is how it retains its properties, aromas and taste much better. In addition, this allows us to provide a different touch when we go to prepare a coffee maker.
All we have to do is add the desired ingredient to the grinder or similar utensil along with the coffee beans and grind it all together. For example, again, our favorite spices, taking into account that we will need less quantity than in the previously described method. One or two cloves, an open cardamom pod, a piece of cinnamon stick, a couple of peppercorns, some citrus peel, etc. If we want to give it a vanilla aroma, the best thing to do is to remove some of the inside of the pod with the tip of a knife and add it to the beans so that it is incorporated into them during the grinding. Some nuts, such as hazelnuts, also give a great flavour to coffee. It is best to roast them before adding a few units to the grinder. When everything is ground, it is advisable to mix well to distribute the aromas evenly.
