Filter Coffee / Authentic South Indian Kaapi

Filter coffee step-by-step recipe with photos.

Jump to:

• About this recipe
• Traditional coffee filter pot
• What is Chicory
• Ingredients
• How to make South Indian Coffee
• Pulling the coffee
• Useful tips
• FAQs
• Bonus
• Recipe card
• Comments

About this recipe

Coffee is arguably the most popular drink and needs no introduction. People around the world enjoy it in different forms. In India, the South Indian 'Kaapi' is extremely popular and most South Indians cannot start their day without a strong cup of filter coffee.

Kaapi was a staple in South Indian households much before the cafe culture began. It is popularly known as Mysore filter coffee, Madras kaapi, or Kumbakonam coffee. The ingredients used to make it are the same; however, the proportions and way it is made make all the difference.

Traditionally, it is made in a steel filter pot which has two main parts (or compartments) - one to add the coffee powder and hot water, and the second to collect the decoction. Freshly brewed decoction topped with hot milk and served in a steel tumbler and davara (bowl) makes it unique and one of the best-tasting coffees.

Like most South Indians, coffee is my go-to drink and I start my day with a strong cup of kaapi. We also like to enjoy coffee throughout the day and in all seasons. Serve a strong cup of coffee with breakfast in the morning and your favorite snack in the evening.

While Indian spiced tea is widely popular, Indian filter coffee is second to none. Read on to know more about the traditional filter pot, chicory, pulling techniques, and more in this detailed guide on South Indian coffee.

Traditional coffee filter pot

Traditionally, kaapi is made in a brass or steel filter pot. It has two compartments that sit on one another. Coffee powder and hot water are added to the top compartment and the brewed coffee decoction is collected in the bottom compartment.

This traditional filter follows a pour-over style of filtration and is probably the easiest to use. It does not need filter paper. A plunger is placed on the coffee powder and is pressed gently. Hot water seeps through the coffee and the concentrated liquid called coffee decoction can be collected.

Authentic South Indian coffee is made by freshly brewing coffee decoction - the concentrated liquid collected when hot water is passed through coffee powder. Making decoction is the first step in making coffee. Scroll down to see the detailed instruction on how to make it.

What is Chicory

Chicory is extremely popular in Indian coffee and is added in small amounts when grinding the coffee beans. It imparts a malty taste and a deeper color to the coffee.

Chicory is the root of a plant native to Asia and Europe. It is roasted, ground, and mixed with coffee powder. It is believed that chicory was added to coffee because of its medicinal benefits and to reduce caffeine intake. The addition of chicory is also thought to be due to the shortage of coffee in the 17th century.

Several shops in South India freshly roast and grind coffee beans and mix them with roasted and ground chicory as per your preference. There is no fixed percentage of chicory that is added to Indian coffee powders and hugely depends on personal preference, with the most common being the addition of 10% chicory.

Ingredients

Coffee Powder: There are several brands of Indian coffee powders that can be bought from any Indian grocery store.

Other ingredients: Hot water, whole milk, and sugar.

How to make South Indian Coffee

Assemble the top and bottom compartments of the coffee filter pot. Add the coffee powder to the top compartment. Put the disc (plunger) on top of the coffee powder and press gently.

Take water in a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Carefully pour boiling water on the disc in a thin stream.

Cover the lid of the filter pot and the decoction will brew and drip slowly to the lower compartment. This will take 10-15 minutes.

The water will drip from the top compartment and the decoction is collected in the lower compartment of the filter pot.

Take milk in a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat.

Take two tumblers (or cups) and add one teaspoon of sugar to each tumbler. Add the required amount of decoction (3-4 tablespoons depending on preference). For a lighter coffee, add less decoction and for a strong coffee, add more.

Pour hot milk into the tumbler in a thin stream. Pull the coffee a few times to make it frothy before serving.

Pulling the coffee

Filter coffee is traditionally served in a small steel glass with a bowl (called davara) under it. The coffee is "pulled" back and forth between the tumbler and bowl. This makes the coffee frothy and also helps the sugar to dissolve.

To pull the coffee, pour it from the tumbler/glass to the davara/bowl in a slow stream. Then, pour it back from the davara into the tumbler. Repeat the process of pouring it back and forth 5-6 times until there is a foamy head on the top.

Useful tips

When placing the disc (plunger) in the filter pot, do not apply a lot of pressure. Place the disc and press gently to flatten the powder. If you press too hard, the decoction will take a long time to steep.

Do not heat the decoction over direct heat as it changes the taste and makes the coffee bitter. To reheat any leftover decoction, place it in a tumbler and put it in hot water for a few minutes.

Filter kaapi is the perfect pair with these breakfast dishes:
1. Upma.
2. Adai dosa.
3. Rava idli.
4. Uttapam.
5. Masala dosa.
6. Sabudana khichdi.
7. Idli.
8. Ragi rotti.

Serve your evening kaapi with these snacks:
1. Mangalore buns.
2. Plantain chips.
3. Vegetable puffs.
4. Egg puffs.
5. Dahi vada.
6. Onion pakora.

More beverages:
1. Masala chai.
2. Chai concentrate.
3. Turmeric milk.

FAQs

Bonus

This filter coffee recipe:
- is very easy to follow,
- traditional and authentic,
- includes all tips to make that perfect cup of kaapi.

Recipe card