How to brew an invigorating favorite drink: Turkish coffee. Recipes and cooking secrets

Let me tell you right away that this recipe is for home use. The Turk is heated on a regular electric or gas stove, without any quartz sand. However, even at home we will try to correctly repeat all the key principles of cooking. And at the same time, let’s compare our grandmothers’ recipe and how coffee is brewed in Turkey.

How the recipe came about

The Turkish coffee recipe was invented in Yemen. Coffee beans were brought to Yemen from Ethiopia. Initially, Asian caravan workers came up with how to brew Turkish coffee. They cooked it near the fire and heated water on the hot sand. To achieve the desired temperature, move the container closer to the fire or further. There is still an opinion that real Turkish coffee should be prepared on hot sand. They learn how to brew Turkish coffee in Syria, then the Turks learn the secret of the recipe, and Turkish coffee is gaining popularity all over the world.

National drink

Turkish coffee was first brewed in the mid-16th century. For this purpose, tall copper vessels with a long handle were used. The drink was brewed from freshly roasted grains ground into fine dust over a fire or hot sand. To grind the grains, special mortars were used to turn the grains into flour. Due to such fine grinding, the finished drink was thick, strong and tart with a rich and fluffy foam.

The presentation of the drink was also important. They drank it from tiny glasses, mostly without sugar, enjoying small sips of the invigorating drink while having a leisurely and peaceful conversation. There is no specific time frame for drinking coffee in Turkey. They drink it everywhere and always, especially if a company of more than three people gathers, but always after a meal.

Today, Turkish coffee has not lost its importance and flavor. The process of its preparation is interesting, the taste is rich, the presentation is bright, and the requirements for the choice of ingredients are very high. Here are a few nuances without which a drink in the traditional national spirit cannot be obtained.

• The quality of the grains must be the highest. These are blends of large Arabica and Robusta beans, which are collected from red berries that are fully ripened in natural conditions.
• Grinding the grains should be as fine as possible, for which a special coffee grinder or hand mortar with a wide pestle is used.
• The water must be clean, potable, soft, without metal impurities.
• The Turk should be of the size for how many people the drink is being prepared for.

To prepare the drink, you only need three ingredients: ground coffee, water and sugar. Adding other ingredients is a variation on the theme of Turkish coffee.

Turk

In order to brew a delicious aromatic drink, you need to be extremely attentive and careful. First you need to choose the right Turk, depending on how many servings you will brew the drink for. It will not turn out very rich and tasty if you cook it in a pot for two, which only has the capacity for one serving of the drink. When buying a Turk, give preference to the one made of copper. The inner coating of a copper Turk should be made of silver or tin so that the copper does not oxidize. It should be shaped with a wide bottom and a narrow neck so that the coffee aroma is preserved during brewing. If you have the opportunity to prepare a drink on sand, then Turks are sold with a high lower part, so that it is convenient to place it in the sand. And one more important point: the handle on the container should be wooden, which does not conduct heat well, so as not to get burned during cooking.

How is Turkish coffee brewed?

At home we brew our favorite drink on the stove. But I assure you that if you carry out the same process in sand, the result will amaze you. The drink will be thicker, denser, more aromatic, with a beautiful and stable foam. Simply perfect!

Coffee “Turkish” or “Oriental” is prepared in a Turk, which is immersed in hot sand. It heats the vessel evenly, from all sides at once. From the water and coffee behind its walls in the thickness of the sand, the mystery of the birth of a wonderful, most popular drink in the world occurs.

Espresso can be swallowed on the go, as is the case in Europe or America. But in countries where coffee is a cult drink, residents will not allow themselves to disrupt the coffee culture with haste and fuss. The ritual of making coffee on sand has magical powers. Let's fill our homes with it, it's fabulously beautiful and useful.

Interesting: in the homeland of Turkish coffee in Turkey, its consumption per capita per year is several times less than in the Scandinavian countries. In northern Europe, consumption reaches 1 kg per month per inhabitant! In Arab countries, the emphasis is not on the quantity of the drink consumed, but on its quality. Ordering two small cups at once rather than one is considered indecent. It is customary to drink coffee slowly, thoughtfully, and with pleasure.

Of course, you have seen in coffee shops devices with sand in which Turks with preparing coffee are immersed. The aroma makes your head spin, your hands reach for your wallet to quickly taste the thick drink that exudes a crazy spirit. Don’t rush to shell out your money, we will prepare a masterpiece at home “no worse than theirs.”

Oriental - home-style

The simplest option is to pour quartz sand into a deep frying pan, put it on fire and immerse a vessel with ground coffee and water in it. You can brew coffee in a Turkish coffee pot on sand in a more civilized way. You will have to spend money to buy a special kit for this exciting procedure. It is not cheap, but unlike drinking a cup of even the best coffee in the world, it is an eternal thing. A beautiful, elegant set will be kept in your family for many years and will be passed on to your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It includes:

• a roasting pan that is placed on the stove;
• a package of special sand for filling it, it heats up quickly and holds a high temperature for a long time;
• 2 – 3 small Turks;
• spatula for mixing sand;
• a spoon with a long handle for stirring coffee, it is usually made of brass (not found in all sets).

Information from a real user: I place 4 small Turks (100 ml) in a roasting pan. There were 3 of them in the set, we bought one more. The main thing is that she fit into the brazier along with other Turks. If there is a weekend ahead, I put the roasting pan on the stove, when the sand warms up, I reduce the heat to low and it is ready for use all day. In winter it serves as an additional source of heat in the apartment. By the way, we bought such a set for our dacha, we are driving our neighbors crazy with the coffee aromas. In the morning we prepare coffee in all 4 Turks for the whole family, and during the day everyone can brew themselves a cup very quickly, the sand is hot. A very convenient device! The coffee turns out amazingly delicious.

An oriental coffee ceremony in your home will captivate your guests. A drink prepared according to all the rules will make you happy and cheerful.

Traditional recipe

For those who live in urban areas and who do not have the opportunity to brew a drink on hot sand, we suggest brewing it on the stove at home. To prepare one cup of Turkish coffee, you need:

1. Pour one teaspoon of freshly ground coffee beans into the Turk.
2. Pour 150 milliliters of water and place the container on the fire.
3. Watch the water carefully; when the foam begins to rise, remove it from the heat and carefully remove the foam from the surface of the water with a spoon.
4. Return the Turk to the stove and wait for the foam to rise; when this happens, turn off the heat.
5. Pour the brewed coffee into a cup and enjoy its aroma and taste. You can add ground spices and sugar to it for variety.

Preparing to cook

The classic recipe involves making coffee on sand. To complete this task, you must first of all choose the right Turk. In addition, water, coffee beans and sand deserve attention.

Selection of Turkish and coffee

To make Turkish coffee, you need a cezve of conical shape and small volume. As a rule, it is made of aluminum, copper, silver, stainless steel.

You should not give preference to steel and aluminum cookware. The best options are copper and silver. The drink prepared in them has an ideal consistency and excellent taste.

For Turkish coffee, use medium roast Arabica beans.

The grinding should be as fine as possible - literally “to dust”. Only with such a high degree of grinding will it be possible to obtain the desired result.

Sand

Oriental coffee is prepared using sand. His choice should also be taken seriously. As a rule, quartz sand is used for Turks. It is quite small and differs from the usual in thermal conductivity, so it is suitable for brewing a drink.

Water

To make Turkish coffee at home, you need to use the purest water possible. For example, bottled or spring. It should be soft and not contain salts that can spoil the taste of the drink.

Equipment

There are special devices that allow you to brew coffee on sand at home. They are installed on a gas or electric stove. In addition, you can find autonomous units on sale that run on electricity. In the absence of such devices, it is permissible to use an ordinary thick-walled frying pan.

Turkish coffee

There are different ways to make Turkish coffee. Each method is special; it is a kind of ritual among the Turks. If you have ever visited Turkey and tried Turkish coffee, you have probably noticed with what art and trepidation they brew and serve this wonderful drink. Here's the basic recipe:

• Pour one heaped teaspoon of finely ground coffee beans (Arabica is better) into a Turk;
• Pour soft water for one serving (adjust the amount of grains and water so that the water level reaches the neck of the Turk) and add sugar;
• Place the Turk on the stove over low heat and watch, when you see small bubbles rising, immediately remove it from the heat;
• Do this two more times; when the water level starts to rise the last time, turn off the heat.

How to serve Turkish drink

It is traditionally served in a copper ibrik or Turk. You can use halva or other oriental sweets as a treat. Instead of sugar - honey or dates.

There must be cold water on the table. Each sip is washed down with it to enhance the taste. In your homeland, Turkey, you cannot drink coffee, as this is considered disrespect for the person who prepared it: if a person drinks the drink, it means it is not tasty.

The cups should be warm or hot so that the drink does not lose its aroma when poured.

Turkish recipe with orange juice

To brew coffee beans in a Turk according to this unusual recipe, you will need:

• Finely ground coffee beans - one teaspoon;
• Half a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice;
• Sugar to taste.

As we noticed in this recipe, we will learn how to brew a fruit and coffee drink without water. First, put the empty cezve on the fire to warm it up. Now add the ground grains and pour in the orange juice. Place the cezve on the fire and simmer the mixture over low heat. Add sugar at the end.

How to make Turkish coffee

In Turkey, classic coffee is often varied with additional ingredients. Spices are used for this (cinnamon, ginger, cardamom). Nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts), pepper, even chicken egg yolk or garlic and honey are added.

Be sure to read: Turkish dish ashura (ashure): what it is, what it is made from, ingredients for 5 servings, step-by-step preparation

Options that involve the use of spices, garlic, honey and pepper are suitable for treating colds. A hot drink with yolk has nutritional and tonic properties.

Turkish coffee recipe with orange juice

An unusual option for brewing Turkish coffee. The liquid here is orange juice.

First, the cezve is filled with ground coffee beans. If desired, add sugar (to taste). The mixture warms up within a minute.

Dry ingredients are poured with juice. Everything is put on low heat. At the moment the liquid boils, the dishes are removed from the stove.

Turkish iced coffee

It is based on a classic cooking option. Sugar is added to freshly brewed coffee (if it was initially absent). Then comes the turn of the ice cubes.

Sometimes the finished drink is poured into special molds and frozen. At the same time, the shelf life of the product is quite long. This delicacy is called “coffee ice”. It is very refreshing on a hot summer day.

Turkish coffee with cognac

Liqueur or cognac is often used as an additional ingredient. This additive gives the drink strength and richness.

Required:

• freshly ground grains - 8 grams;
• sugar - 3-4 tsp;
• water - 100 ml;
• cognac (liqueur) - 20-25 ml.

Be sure to read: Ayran in Turkey: what is it, composition, calorie content, how to drink correctly, is it possible to lose weight, beneficial properties

Cooking process.

1. Coffee is brewed according to the classic recipe, immediately with sugar.
2. The finished drink is removed from the heat.
3. Cognac or liqueur is added.

Another additional ingredient here is orange zest. It is added as desired.

Summer refreshing option

Prepare Turkish coffee according to this recipe and get a wonderful invigorating drink with ice. You will need:

• Half a cup of homemade milk;
• Heavy cream – 10 milliliters;
• Cardamom spice – three pieces;
• Brewed coffee – half a cup;
• Several ice cubes;
• Sugar.
• Pour milk and cream into a container, add cardamom and sugar. Stir and place on the stove. When the mixture boils, combine it with coffee and cool. This cocktail is served with ice; it is suitable for a hot, sultry day. Try cooking, you will like it!

Selecting Turks to start cooking

Turka has many synonyms; it is called cezva, srdjep, dalla, ibrik. Due to the variety of these devices, it can sometimes be difficult to find a good Turk. However, there are features that are worth focusing on:

1. Material. The dishes must conduct heat well. But it should not interact chemically with the coffee drink or other ingredients. The most reliable metals in this case are aluminum, stainless steel, copper and silver. Copper and silver conduct heat best, but since silver is too expensive a metal, the Turks made from it are considered more a work of art than a household item. But copper Turks are more common, the most reliable of them have the inside coated with food-grade tin or a layer of silver. This protects copper from oxidation.
2. Turks uniform. The container for brewing coffee should be wide at the bottom and narrowed at the top. Ideally, the size ratio should be within 2:3. It is believed that due to the narrow neck of the Turk, the drink does not evaporate quickly, thereby preserving the aroma of coffee. If the Turk is intended to be buried in sand, then it will have a more elongated bottom. The volume of the Turk will depend on the number of cups served. Turkish coffee mugs hold 65 ml of drink.
3. The handle is Turkish. It should be long and not hot. Usually it is made of wood. The screw-on handles are good for storing or carrying utensils.