Madras Filter Coffee

I am from the south of India, and love the famous "Madras Filter Coffee". Why is it called "Madras Filter Coffee":

"Madras" because it is the name of the city which is known for coffee. Well, the name of the city has been changed to Chennai now, but thankfully, the coffee is still referred to as "Madras Filter Coffee" as opposed to "Chennai Filter Coffee".

"Filter" because because the thick coffee brew is made in a stainless steel filter. The concept is similar to the "French Press" - but not as complex. This is just a stainless steel cup, with minute holes, atop another stainless steel cup.

The authentic "Filter Coffee" is made with coffee powder made from beans that are grown somewhere in South India (probably Coorg, Malabar hills or some other hill station). If you are not in South India at present, you might wonder where you will get the beans/powder from. You can use coffee from Trader Joe's, Starbucks or Folgers - but need to be careful about the blend/granularity of the beans.

Trader Joe's - House blend, medium roast beans (finely ground)
Starbucks - House blend, medium roast OR Colombian, medium roast (turkish grind)
Folgers - Colombian, medium roast

You can also get fresh roasted coffee beans from Whole Foods, Food co-op or any other store. Ensure that you find a coffee that is sweet, less acidic and has no 'extra' flavor (like chocolate, vanilla etc). The key is to buy small quantities of high quality beans/powder.

Storage: Coffee beans/powder and tea leaves always need to be fresh. Don't use something that is more than 3-4 months old. Ensure that you always keep them in a dry, air-tight container. Also, please do not store it in a cupboard that is right above the stove top. The temperature must be moderate (not hot and humid or freezing). So, please buy small quantities. If I have a lot, or if I am leaving town, I always ensure that I call a friend and give them the leftover coffee/tea. Another way of exhausting the supply of coffee powder or tea leaves is to make good "Coffee Cake" or "Chai-tea cake". (Recipes will be posted at a later date)

Madras Filter Coffee recipe:
You will need: 3 heaped table spoons of coffee powder, fresh boiling water, coffee filter
Making the coffee decoction (thick coffee brew):
1. Attach the filter and the cup and place it on a flat surface (kitchen counter/ stove top)
2. Fill the top portion with the coffee powder and gently press it down to level
3. Pour fresh boiling water (yes, you have to see the bubbles) slowly over the powder
4. Close the filter, and let it stand for about 10 minutes
The coffee decoction may take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to get collected in the cup below. The time depends on the amount of powder, how tight the powder is packed, the heat of the water and the size of the filter.

Trust me - this is a science - you will not get it right the first time. The skill of making good filter coffee is usually cultivated over time. And the good thing is that you will devise your own method to get amazing decoction.

Mixing with Milk:
Heat a glass of milk in the stove top or microwave
Add sugar (desired quantity; optional)
Add the coffee brew

As I had mentioned before, this is a SCIENCE - you will need to adjust the quantity of milk, sugar, coffee brew until you get the perfect cuppa coffee. Perfect this art - and get hooked!!