turkish coffee
As one of Israel’s favourite beverages, Turkish coffee has a long history throughout the middle east (hence the name). It has even made UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. As you might expect, its many incarnations mean that there are many different sub-methods within the Turkish tradition. Despite the questionable quality of the majority of commercially sold Turkish coffees, the method remains a wonderfully diverse and delicious way to bring out the power notes of a high quality, specialty organic coffee. Unfortunately, most home grinders do not grind finely enough to do a true Turkish grind, so unless you have a special hand-operated grinder, or an uncommon electric one, you’ll be limited to pre-ground Turkish.
Method #1 the chick chock
This method of prepping Turkish coffee, though not the most traditional, is probably the most popular in Israel. It’s simple, fast, and convenient. However, especially with specialty organic coffees, getting the correct ratio of coffee to water is crucial to fully maximising the coffee’s potential (and your enjoyment). The ratio varies slightly from coffee to coffee; here we suggest a good starting point from which you can find your preferred taste: 1:12.
Step 1
- bring 180g of water to a boil.
Step 2
- measure out 15g of coffee (ground Turkish) and place in a mug or glass.
- pour the boiling water into the cup while slowly stirring with a clean metal or wooden spoon.
- after pouring all the water into the cup, continue to stir for 5-10 seconds, making sure to wash all the grinds at the top of the cup into the hot water. Let sit and cool to a comfortable temperature (usually 1-2 minutes)
Method #2 the sabra way
In Israel, perhaps not as often as you may see Israelis preparing botz (but still quite frequently), you will see people preparing Turkish coffee in a finjan–a small pot with a handle specifically for brewing Turkish coffee. They will often add sugar, and sometimes even cardamom (הל in Hebrew), which can be quite tasty.
Step 1
- using the same ratio in method #1 (1:12), measure out your desired amount of water for x number of cups of coffee, and pour it into a finjan with the corresponding amount of coffee grinds (and sugar, if desired).
Step 2
- bring to a boil over medium heat. This should take 3-4 minutes. Keep a close eye on it.
- when it starts to boil, it will rapidly start to foam. Quickly take it off the heat, scoop some of the foam into each cup, and return to the stovetop.
- when the coffee comes to a boil, pour half of it into the cups and return again to the stovetop.
Step 5
- boil the remaining coffee for an additional 10-15 seconds before filling the cups all the way.
