Want to know how to make real Turkish coffee like how it’s done in the coffee shops of Istanbul Turkey? Want to know the most important indicators of what constitutes good Turkish coffee? Our guide gives you the information you want to know.
Anyone vaguely associated with the history of coffee would be quite aware that for the Turkish there is no such thing as Turkish coffee rather they believe coffee is Turkish. This is largely because it was through the Ottoman Empire that much of Europe got acquainted with this drink which is now popularly used all around the world. If you are looking to make coffee the Turkish way, or if we should dare to say Turkish coffee the Turkish way then you need to know the things you will have to do in order to get that taste.
Choosing Turkish Coffee Beans
The fresher the roasted beans the better your Turkish coffee will be. The beans need to be grounded just before brewing to ensure freshness. To get a real strong aroma get a dark roast even though a little lighter will also do. To make your selves some fine coffee powder you can opt for either of the two ways. One is the traditional use of the mortar or the more commonly used mill that we see today. Keep in mind that the grounded beans for Turkish coffee tend to be much finer than regular coffee so one has to ensure they get this part right.
Boiling Turkish Coffee
Cold water will yield the best of results. Measure the amount needed then add the coffee and sugar into the water. One or two heaped teaspoons of coffee are enough for each cup. When it comes to sweetness the Turks have designated four terms to four different levels of sweetness. These include the sade which is without sugar, az sekerli is little sugar, orta sekerli is a little more and cok sekerli is very sweet around two leveled teaspoons. Add the desired amount of sugar and stir it till all the sugar has dissolved and the coffee settles down. Remember that this is the last and final time that you will be stirring the coffee because any stirring after this point is going to dissolve the foam which is the characteristic of good Turkish coffee. When the coffee starts to boil you can start pouring it into your cups for a drink.
Turkish Coffee Foam
Now that you have a cup of coffee in your hand it is time to judge whether you have done the Turkish coffee tradition any justice. If your coffee has thick foam lather at the top which are homogenous and no such particles are visible in the foam or the liquid then you have done well. The big secret behind being able to achieve such success is to use cold water during preparation and a low flame when heating. Hot water does not allow the coffee to sink and restricts the formation of foam. When the coffee has reached the boiling point then you can wait another 20 seconds to get the best flavor but you have to ensure that you don’t lose the foam. If you fear that you may lose the foam that you can actually remove the foam earlier and place them in the cups only to add the coffee later.
