Perhaps Turkish, cezve, Turkish or Oriental coffee is the most familiar method of preparation for all residents of the post-Soviet space. There were no Chemex or Siphons in our houses, but there was almost certainly a Turk. Unfortunately, they are not always suitable for making coffee. We recommend using a copper Turk; a real Turk should be copper on the outside and silver plated on the inside. Copper is an excellent conductor of heat, but upon contact with an acidic coffee environment, it begins to release dangerous carcinogens, so a protective coating is required inside the Turk.
Our parents and grandmothers knew how to cook coffee in a Turk on a gas stove. We have learned from our own experience that you can’t prepare a delicious drink this way. So, we are sharing a recipe on how to brew delicious coffee in a Turkish coffee pot.
Enjoy your coffee!
Oriental coffee needs to sit for a few minutes so that you drink the coffee and not eat it. Cezve is a huge field for experimentation - try heating a tiny amount of your favorite spices in a Turk before cooking, then add coffee and cook according to the instructions. Very popular recipes are: coffee with cinnamon, with pepper, with milk, and you can also add jams, syrups, honey and noble alcohol. Experiment with different types of coffee and find your favorite. Well, you can read how to brew coffee without a Turk in our other articles.
Secrets of making aromatic coffee
General recommendations for making coffee come down to simple rules about proper storage, quality and ratio of its ingredients in the drink. It is advisable to put at least 2 teaspoons of coffee powder per 100 ml of water, or more if stronger coffee is preferred.
Water
The taste of the finished product depends, among other things, on the quality of the water used in preparation - it is better to take purified or spring water with a minimal degree of mineralization. It is not recommended to use boiled water!
Grinding beans
There are several ways to grind grains:
- large - the size of bread crumbs,
- medium - the size of grains of table salt,
- fine - like powdered sugar.
A coarse grind promotes rapid extraction, which can result in sour coffee. This grind is suitable for brewing in coffee pots and coffee makers. Fine as dust will make the coffee bitter and thick. Suitable for cooking in a cup, saucepan or pot.
The beans should be ground immediately before brewing coffee (no more than 1 hour), otherwise the aroma from the beans will quickly evaporate with prolonged exposure to air.
Bean storage
Freshly ground and freshly roasted grains perfectly absorb foreign odors, so if there is a need for storage, they should be placed in sealed packaging, avoiding contact with sunlight, high temperature and high humidity.
Preparatory stage
Making real coffee is an almost mystical activity, requiring concentration, slowness, strict adherence to technology, and most importantly, love for this tonic drink. If you don’t have time to make Turkish coffee, you can use a coffee maker. In this case, it would be useful to stock up on paper filters for filtering coffee. Thanks to this device, the drink is aromatic and without sediment.
Which Turk to choose
Why, however, despite the advantages of coffee makers, is coffee still brewed in Turks? Turka (aka cezve) is a traditional utensil for preparing it. Turks have a wide bottom, narrow neck and long handle. Thanks to this shape, the container is convenient to use. It heats up evenly, retains heat for a long time, and preserves the aroma of the drink.
Cezves are made from various materials: clay, ceramics, copper, silver. Clay and ceramic Turks are fragile, absorb aroma well, and therefore are suitable for preparing only one type of coffee bean. Most often, drink lovers purchase copper cezves. They are functional, have a reasonable price and are therefore widespread. Silver Turks do not have any special advantages over copper ones. However, they are much more expensive than copper ones. Therefore, among connoisseurs of this drink they are considered a luxury item and a good option for interior decoration.
What can you replace the Turk with if necessary?
If you don’t have a suitable cezve, you can try making a drink of vigor in a coffee maker, French press, or even in a small saucepan (necessarily with a thick bottom). However, as connoisseurs note, the taste of their contents will be noticeably inferior to the Turkish drink.
Choosing the right coffee
The quality of the drink directly depends on the ingredients. It is known that thanks to natural coffee, the tone increases and the body's immunity improves, so the choice of its type and the degree of grinding of the beans should be approached with special care. There are two main varieties of coffee - Arabica and Robusta. Ground coffee producers prefer to make a mixture of these beans. The fact is that Arabica has a balanced, harmonious taste with sourness, while Robusta is characterized by strength and bitterness.
On a note! To neutralize the bitterness and make the drink soft, add a pinch of salt to it.
Also, the taste of the finished drink depends on the degree of grinding of the coffee beans. The degree of grinding is coarse, medium and fine. Coarse grind is suitable for coffee machines and coffee makers. The average is considered universal. This powder is suitable both for professional equipment and for cooking in a Turk. A fine grind is preferred by those who prepare the drink in geyser coffee makers. If you want to get acquainted with new tastes, coarse and fine grinding of coffee beans can be brewed in a cezve. But in this case, the drink will turn out to be an acquired taste.
The taste of the drink is directly affected by the degree of grinding of the coffee.
Does it matter what kind of water?
Along with the variety and grinding of the beans, water is an important ingredient in this delicacy. It is better if it is fresh spring water. In the absence of one, bottled or filtered will do. You cannot use boiled water, as this has an extremely adverse effect on the taste of the drink.
Coffee in Turkish
Back in the distant 16th century. In Turkey, they already knew how to prepare ground coffee using Turks - the most common way of brewing a coffee drink at home. The cone-shaped shape of the vessel promotes maximum flavor development and the production of thick, aromatic foam.
How to choose a cezve
The first thing you need to pay attention to when choosing a Turk is its bottom - it is important that it is stable and thick, which will ensure gradual and uniform heating of the vessel. It is better to give preference to cezves with a narrow neck, which will help avoid evaporation of aromatic substances and will contribute to the rapid settling of the grounds. The presence of a “spout” makes pouring coffee into cups convenient, and the long handle will prevent you from getting burned. The ideal size of a Turk is one that holds 1-2 coffee cups of the finished product.
The material used to make the cezve is also of particular importance:
- metal Turks are the cheapest, easy to clean and suitable for long-term use. But they heat up unevenly, that is, the bottom heats up hotter and faster, which causes the coffee oils to burn, and as a result, the taste of the coffee deteriorates;
- aluminum Turks are cheap and have good thermal conductivity, but they emit harmful substances when they react with food;
- clay or ceramic - fragile, with high heat capacity, which is why the coffee does not stop heating even after removing the Turk from the heat;
- Copper cezves are beautiful and have excellent thermal conductivity. The water heats up, but does not have time to reach a boil. The inside of such Turks is coated with tin so that harmful impurities of copper do not enter the product during cooking.
You cannot use cleaning products when washing a Turk made from any of the materials listed above. The chemical settles on the walls of the vessel and does not have the best effect on the taste of the drink.
What else is added to coffee?
Spices and various food additives can add unexpected new notes to the usual taste and aroma of a coffee drink:
- chopped nuts will add tartness to the drink;
- some exotic fruits and berries are added: pineapple, strawberries, cherries, oranges, etc.;
- Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy caramel or a few drops of maple syrup along with their favorite drink;
- a scoop of ice cream and grated chocolate added to a cup of regular black coffee will turn it into a delicious glace;
- freshness and richness will be provided by ginger and mint;
- for those who need to warm up, spices such as nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom are suitable.
How to choose a coffee machine?
The modern world of technology offers many different devices and devices, one of which is a coffee maker or coffee machine. Such a device can greatly facilitate the work of those who like to prepare a tasty and aromatic drink at home. The choice of coffee machine can be made based on criteria and requirements for cost, manufacturer, quality and other parameters, but this is a topic for a separate article.
How to brew and drink ginger tea? Recipes with sea buckthorn and honey. Herbal tea from sage leaves. Is aloe vera juice good for your health?
How to replace Turk
Coffee brewed in a Turk is a classic, but not everyone likes it. There are even simpler ways to brew ground coffee without a cezve or expensive special devices: a coffee machine or coffee maker, Chemex and French press. The coffee drink can be prepared in the microwave or even in a handy container. A saucepan is suitable for a large company, but if you don’t have anything else at hand, then it’s easy to brew it in a cup.
In a cup
- To boil water.
- Pour 2 tsp into a cup. coffee powder, sugar and spices as desired, pour boiling water.
- Cover the cup with a saucer and leave to brew for 10-15 minutes.
In a saucepan
- Pour cold water into a saucepan and add finely ground grains at the rate of 2 tsp. coffee powder per 100 ml of water.
- Over low heat, stirring, until thick foam appears (the water should not boil).
- Remove the pan from the stove and close the lid for 5 minutes.
Microwave
- Pour ground grains into a suitable transparent glass cup and pour cold water to 2/3 of the volume at the rate of 2-3 tsp. for 200 ml of water.
- Place in the microwave and turn on at the highest power.
- When the coffee foam rises, turn off the microwave and leave the cup in it for another 2-4 minutes. This time is necessary for the grounds to settle and to better brew the drink.
What is the best way to brew ground coffee in a cup, microwave or Turkish coffee pot, in a coffee machine or in a coffee maker, which recipe is better to use does not really matter. The only thing that matters is the result, which must please its creator. If you approach brewing coffee creatively, then from a routine household chore, the process will turn into a favorite ritual and will become another opportunity to show off your culinary talents.
