Turkish coffee has become a staple of many kitchens across the globe. The thought of a beautiful red drink made with pure Turkish coffee powder is thrilling for most people. If you have tried this delicious beverage before, you know that it can be quite strong.
- What Is Turkish Coffee?
- Is Turkish Coffee Better Than Instant?
- Ingredients Needed To Make Turkish Coffee
- Steps For Preparing Turkish Coffee
- What Kind Of Pot Should I Use To Make Turkish Coffee?
- What brand of Turkish Coffee is best?
- How Long Does Turkish Coffee Stay Fresh?
- Can You Make Turkish Coffee Without A Coffee Machine?
- Where Do You Find Turkish Coffee?
What Is Turkish Coffee?
It’s called çay (pronounced “chai”) and it’s the national drink of Turkey. Because it’s so thick, it’s especially popular with men, but it’s enjoyed by everyone. Is it that much different from powdered instant coffee? We will address both of these questions in this article so you can become an expert on all things Turkish coffee and save yourself the time and hassle of wondering whether this is a product that you should add to your home kitchen.
Is Turkish Coffee Better Than Instant?
Many people picture Turkish coffee as being filtered, but this isn’t the case at all. The beans are roasted and crushed and then boiled in a metal pot or cezve. The coffee is then put through a very fine cloth called a peştemal to remove the rest of the grounds. This is what makes Turkish coffee taste so bold, just like your grandfather used to drink.
Instant coffees can be made with ingredients that are processed in different ways. Instant coffees are sometimes made from freeze-dried coffee beans or ground-up coffee beans and brewed in boiling water as well. Many instant coffees have different flavorings mixed in, so the taste is very different from that of traditional Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is often prepared with sugar, making it taste very different from the instant version. Instant coffees can taste quite bitter due to the brew time required, whereas Turkish coffee is enjoyed within half an hour of its preparation time.
Ingredients Needed To Make Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee pot, sugar, cups, coffee cups, hot water, and coffee beans. The coffee beans are bought from a Turkish coffee supplier or a Turkish coffee seller and roasted at home. The beans are bought every day from the supplier or seller, which saves money in the long run. But, if you are only making coffee for yourself, then buying beans that have already been roasted will work just fine as well.
Steps For Preparing Turkish Coffee
Preheat your cezve or pot on the stove or in the microwave for 10 seconds. This will get the pot hot enough to brew the coffee as soon as possible and avoid any burning or taste contamination that may result from a larger time period of heating.
Add 50 grams of roasted coffee beans to the pot. You can use any type of coffee bean you like to make Turkish coffee with, but traditionally, people use the dark roasted beans that are known for their strong flavor.
Add 200 ml of water. You don’t want your coffee to be too strong or too weak; you want it perfectly balanced between both intensity levels.
Stir the mixture for about 20 seconds until the coffee grounds start to crack and rise from the mixture in the pot. Your goal is to keep the mixture as smooth as possible the entire time it is brewing. The coffee grounds will rise back into the mixture and then settle to the bottom again when you stop stirring.
Put the pot on the stove at medium-high heat and bring it to a boil for 5 minutes. This boiling time here is much shorter than traditional boiling times because you want the coffee to be consumed very quickly after it is made. If you want the coffee to settle more at the bottom before consuming it, then you can let the pot boil for a bit longer before stirring and consuming the coffee.
Pour your coffee into cups or mugs and allow it to cool for 30 minutes before serving it. You can sweeten your coffee by adding a bit of sugar or honey to it. The 30-minute cooling time gives the coffee grounds a chance to settle more at the bottom of the cup and for the flavor to settle completely as well.
What Kind Of Pot Should I Use To Make Turkish Coffee?
The old-school Turkish coffee pots that are circular in shape are perfect for brewing Turkish coffee. You can try this Turkish coffee pot from Amazon
If you don’t have one of these traditional pots, you can use a French press instead. Just make sure the pot is deep enough to allow the coffee grounds to settle at the bottom of the pot after being stirred and poured. If you don’t want to use a traditional pot for coffee but don’t want to invest in a French press, then a tea kettle made of metal or glass works just as well.
What brand of Turkish Coffee is best?
Turkish coffee brands that are natural and unprocessed by chemicals are the best choice when you are buying Turkish coffee. If you can’t find an unprocessed natural brand, then you can at least buy a brand that is organic, meaning that no chemicals were used to process the coffee beans in any way. Check out this one from Amazon
How Long Does Turkish Coffee Stay Fresh?
Once opened, Turkish coffee can stay fresh for about a week in the refrigerator and up to three months in the freezer if it is packaged properly in an airtight container before freezing it. Turkish coffee should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge because it is naturally full of rich flavors and spices. When reheating your coffee, add a bit of water to the original mixture to help it reheat easier and to prevent flavor contamination from other ingredients that may have settled at the bottom of the jar or container.
Can You Make Turkish Coffee Without A Coffee Machine?
Yes, you can absolutely make Turkish coffee without a coffee machine. The traditional method of making Turkish coffee without a coffee machine is by boiling the coffee grounds in a metal pot on the stove and then straining the coffee grounds through fine cloth or paper to remove the coffee grounds from the mixture in the pot. This traditional method will take more time and effort than using a coffee machine, but it is a worthwhile investment if you like the bold and rich taste of traditional Turkish coffee.
Where Do You Find Turkish Coffee?
You can find Turkish coffee in grocery stores and supermarkets that sell Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods like olives and pickles. You can also find Turkish coffee in specialty stores that sell food from Middle Eastern and African countries. Online stores like Amazon are great places to find Turkish coffee as well. Here’s one brand you can check on Amazon.
In conclusionTurkish coffee is a very strong and bold drink that is rich in flavors and addicting in smell and taste as well. This rich blend has a way of instantly making people feel happier without taking much effort at all. Turkish coffee has become a worldwide craze, and for good reason! You will surely love this delicious drink once you try it, so go ahead and give it a try today!