My Journey towards a perfect south Indian filter kaapi!

Nothing can be matched with the magical aroma of south Indian filter kaapi. 

It diffuses into the air, grasps you, enters your blood circulation reaches
every cell and tells something your brain without your knowledge. 
No wonder you go crazy!

This is true.

Do you know, it can cause withdrawal symptoms? (kaapi withdrawal syndrome – delirium tremens!)

I was not fortunate enough to be born in a filter kaapi drinking family.

My first love (for coffee) started in 1991, when I joined college. It was love at first smell and taste. Whenever we visited Saravana Bhavan, opposite Salem new bus stand, I started noticing the aroma and taste of kaapi. On the contrary, in the hostel we used get some hot brown colored liquid (!?), many times you would get confused whether that was coffee, tea or mix of both. Even many restaurants do not serve a perfect filter kaapi. So my first love was blind (as it happens always!), on-and-off and short lived.

Before joining PG in 2001, while doing rural postings in interiors of Maharashtra (Sindewahi), when I was forced to cook, kaapi craziness crept in to me again.

Second love... Bought Narasus coffee powder from Salem and experimented it on my own. No smell, No taste. It was worse than that of hostel hot brown liquid. I conveniently blamed it on Narasus. Hence, my second love was a disaster!!

(Now I know what mistake I did. I prepared it like a tea – put coffee powder into the boiling water, which was completely wrong)

Then, post PG when I was working in Bengaluru, while going for evening sight-seeing (had freedom those days – not married!) the whole Shankar matt street would smell of coffee. Even now while writing this, I have the nostalgic remembrance of that smell. Wow, that was awesome!

Third love started…One day, I enquired the coffee grinding shop-wala, why Narasus coffee does not smell and taste good? With innocent-honesty, he said Narasus is also a good brand. During discussion, first time he elaborated me the way to prepare filter kaapi. I bought one kilo coffee powder, to reciprocate his tactless straightforwardness, and started preparing filter kaapi. I used to pour hot water on a coffee powder filled filter. It was better, but nowhere near Saravana Bhavan’s kaapi. I consoled myself by saying that they might be having some patent protected secret recipe. Thus, my third love was better, not completely blind and reasonably a good experience.

Few years back, the dormant insatiable kaapi urge got instigated by 
repeated visits to Saravana Bhavans and Ananda Bhavans, when I started living in Chennai.

In this is Google era, it was not difficult for me to find it out- the ideal way of preparing kaapi, which I am going to describe you.

Finally my fourth love became successful!

Practical Tips to Prepare a Perfect South Indian Filter Kaapi

·      The most important thing is the quality of coffee powder.

I buy Leo coffee beans (Peaberry+ Special A 50:50) and grind it whenever needed. You may buy a small dedicated mixer grinder (I have Glen).

Adding Chicory is not needed.

Stored coffee powder loses its quality (smell, taste) very fast.

 

·      Brewing: You need a percolator or a coffee maker to make decoction. I use Coffee maker.

Ideal way is, 2 spoons of Coffee powder per cup of coffee and add ~100ml of water. Patience is needed. You have to wait for, at least 6 to 8 hrs. to get perfect decoction. It should not be too diluted. Should look completely black (slightly) thick liquid. (I have no idea about percolators – never used)

Never re-heat the decoction.

·      Milk should be thick (full cream), not double toned or skimmed one. Filter it before adding (malai would spoil the taste).

·      Add 15 to 25% (dark strong) decoction + 85 to 75% milk depending upon the strong/light kaapi you would like to have. Add sugar as needed.

I tried all kinds of coffee - Expresso, Cappuccino, Latte, Mocha, Irish and Americano.

I promise you, no coffee in the world would match this kaapi flavor.

On a monsoon day, prepare a cup of strong Kaapi, listen to your favorite music, and sip it besides a window, watching rain.

 I am sure, you can create heaven on the Earth!

 Oh God! My hands are trembling…
 Am I developing withdrawal symptoms?

 It’s time for a strong kaapi!

Cheers!

27-08-14,
5 pm.