How to cook Turkish coffee
Whether you’ve had it before or are just itching to try some for the first time, learning the traditional Turkish coffee recipe is an easy process.
But, while relatively straightforward to make, what this world-renowned coffee style represents is anything but simple. Turkish coffee is a deeply ingrained part of Turkish culture, with a unique brewing method that is rich in tradition and steeped with meaning.
Here’s how to make a traditional Turkish coffee – sharp, short and strong. It will get you going and satisfy your coffee craving all within seconds.
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups filtered water
- 1 tbsp super fine ground coffee
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- Add 1½ “cups” of water per cup you are making to the ibrik. These are not measuring cups, though. Instead, use the small cup that will ultimately hold the coffee to measure out the water.
- For each cup of coffee you are making, add between one heaping teaspoon and one heaping tablespoon of the coffee grounds, depending on how strong you like it.
- Add the sugar to the ibrik, if desired.
- Stir the coffee and sugar until thoroughly mixed.
- Place the ibrik on your heat source over medium heat. This should be a steady process, not a rapid boil – boiling the coffee will turn it bitter. In a container as small and thin as an ibrik, though, even at a lower heat this should only take a few minutes, so don’t walk away!
- As the coffee approaches a boil, it will begin to form a dense, dark foam on top. Before it comes to a full rolling boil, remove it from the heat and use the spoon to place a small amount of foam in each of the cups. (Think of this as similar to the crema in espresso.)
- Return the ibrik to the heat and let it continue until it almost reaches a rolling boil.
- After removing the foam, bring the coffee to a boil and remove it from the heat before it boils over. Let it cool for 15 or 20 seconds and then return it to the heat, still full. Do this a third time if stronger coffee is desired. Then pour the coffee very slowly and gently into the cups.