Coffee Making Techniques

In the section on "The Basics", I gave the broad outline of the process of making middle eastern coffee. I mentioned that the part between putting the coffee in the pot and pouring it into the cup varied too much to discuss there. This page fills in those details.

Foam

One of the key components of a good cup of middle eastern coffee is the foam. Sometimes you want a lot of foam, sometimes not so much. If you don't want foam, your task is easy: simply stir the coffee again right before you pour it out of the pot. The foam will dissolve back into the coffee.

However, if you do want foam, there's a bit of a trick to getting it right. The Regional Variations section below will talk about different ways to produce the right kind of foam. But in general, to preserve the most foam, you want to keep the pot on the heat as long as possible without boiling. If the coffee boils, the turbulence will wreck your foam.

Then, when you pour the coffee into your cup, there's a technique to the pouring that will help. As you pour the coffee, shake your hand horizontally, from side to side. You'll notice that, when your hand swings toward the cup, more intact foam will spill into the cup than you otherwise could have managed.

Regional Variations

The variations between the methods presented here will have a huge effect on your coffee -- specifically on the bitterness, consistency, and amount and quality of the foam.

Egyptian Method

Coffee The best coffee for this style is something basic and unflavored, like Cafe Najjar. The Egyptians make a THICK brew... use perhaps a tablespoon of coffee for 3 oz of water.
Spices A dash of cardamom powder, or one or two cardamom seeds. Sugar level is moderate -- for the most typical brew, maybe 3/4 tsp.
Technique
  1. Fill the pot to just below the narrowest point with water
  2. Heat the water at medium heat for 1-2 minutes (the point is to get the water warm, not to boil it)
  3. Add the coffee and spices. Stir.
  4. Keep heating at medium heat until the coffee foams. You want to keep it on the heat as long as possible, until just BEFORE one of the following two things happens:
    • The coffee foams over onto the burner (this is bound to happen to you eventually)
    • The water boils (this will wreck your foam)
  5. Remove pot from heat. Reduce heat to low or medium-low. Wait 20-30 seconds
  6. Return pot to heat. Repeat the heating step above
  7. Repeat the last two steps one more time
  8. Quickly pour the foam (and as little other coffee as possible) into your cup. Allow the rest of the coffee to settle for 1-2 minutes. Then slowly pour the rest of the coffee into your cup until you start to pour sludge. Leave as much sludge in the pot as possible.
  9. Allow the coffee to settle for another 1-2 minutes. This is a really good time to wash your pot.
Results The resulting coffee should be fairly free of grounds, fairly smooth (compared to other middle eastern styles) until you reach the bottom. Avoid the sludge unless you're pulling an all-nighter! The foam is the trickiest part to get right. At its best, it should be thick and creamy. The cardamom should be assertive but not overpowering.

Greek Method

Coffee Greek coffee typically contains chicory. The easiest way to make Greek coffee is to buy coffee already flavored with chicory. If that's unavailable, it's worth trying this method anyway, to see the difference the brewing technique makes in your coffee.

It's not necessary to use as much coffee in this method -- a not-so-heaping teaspoon to 3 oz of water should do it.

Spices Aside from the ol' chicory, sugar level is usually high in Greek coffee -- 1 tsp or so in 3 oz
Technique
  1. Fill the pot to just below the narrowest point with COLD water
  2. Add the coffee and spices. Stir.
  3. Heat at medium heat until the coffee foams. You want to keep it on the heat as long as possible, until just BEFORE one of the following two things happens:
    • The coffee foams over onto the burner (this is bound to happen to you eventually)
    • The water boils (this will wreck your foam)
  4. Quickly pour almost all the coffee into your cup (try to leave a few grounds behind).
  5. Allow the coffee to settle for 1-2 minutes. This is a really good time to wash your pot.
Results I find Greek coffee to be somewhat grainier than Egyptian coffee -- perhaps the coffee powder stays more solid because it's only brought to foam once. In that way it's a more visceral experience. The chicory adds a very distinctive flavor that pretty much dominates -- I don't do Greek coffee very often, mainly for a change of pace.

Turkish Method

Coffee Any plain coffee such as Cafe Najjar or the more strongly-flavored Beirut Blend will work for this style.

Use PLENTY of coffee -- recipes I've seen call for anywhere from 1 to 2 tablespoons (!) in a small ibrik (or, ast the Turks usually call it, cezve)

Spices Sugar, sugar, and more sugar. To taste, of course, but traditionally about 2 teaspoons.
Technique
  1. Fill the pot to just below the narrowest point with cold water
  2. Add the coffee and spices. Stir.
  3. Heat at medium heat (low if you have a gas stove) until the coffee foams. You want to keep it on the heat as long as possible, until just BEFORE one of the following two things happens:
    • The coffee foams over onto the burner (this is bound to happen to you eventually)
    • The water boils (this will wreck your foam)
  4. Quickly pour ONLY the foam into your cup.
  5. Return the pot to the heat (you may want to reduce the heat for this) and gently boil it again
  6. Pour the rest of the coffee into your cup. Allow to setttle
Results This is a great way to preserve the foam in tricky blends such as Beirut Blend. I find, though, that the second boiling of less liquid makes the coffee a little thinner in texture -- which might be why the Turks use so much coffee in the first place! Getting that balance right is rather tricky.
Variation To preserve the foam, a slight variation to this method is to spoon off the foam each time you bring the coffee to a boil, rather than pouring it.