Filter Coffee

Popularity: Definitely most of you would agree that the aroma of filter coffee from an Iyer’s kitchen is fabulous and would love to have a dose of it… though this is very easy and simple to make, I just wanted to mention few tips on coffee making to serve all the coffee lovers – esp filter coffee lovers – like me.. I cannot imagine a morning without this. The day seems almost incomplete J Though filter coffee making may consume a little bit time compared to instant / ready to use coffee, I would still say that it is worth the taste. This is also referred to as Filter Kaapi sometimes. J

1.       Pure coffee is always recommended when compared to the usage of coffee with chicory. Pure coffee may be a little costlier than coffee with chicory mix and the latter will seem to give more aroma but for regular coffee in takers, it is recommended to use pure coffee than coffee chicory blend for health purposes.

2.        Pure coffee comes in various blend like Mysore ‘A’, PB (referred to as Pea Berry), and some more.

3.       I usually get my coffee grinded freshly from the stores and use it for lasting flavour.

4.       Mix of PB & Mysore ‘A’ or Simply PB & A in the ratio of 50:50 gives a very tasty pure filter coffee home blend.

Coffee Decoction Making:

You need to ascertain the strength of the coffee powder by trial and error method since I have noted it differs from shop to shop and brand to brand… usually 6 tbsps (heaped) of coffee powder needs 250 to 300 ml of water and can serve coffee for 2 to 3 persons.


For a family of 5 members, you can choose to prepare the decoction by using 10 tbsps (heaped) coffee powder with 500 ml of water (adding 250 ml - twice)

Preparation Using Coffee Maker:

1.       Ensure that the filter of the coffee maker is clean and dry with no water drops

2.       Put the coffee powder in the coffee maker – filter and press it firmly using your fist. I learnt this tip from my husband who equally considers coffee as an elixir like me J. This will ensure that the water percolation takes time and absorbs the coffee flavour well as it becomes decoction.

3.       Close the coffee maker lid and pour normal water (neither hot nor cold in the water area) – ensure that you read the instructions properly of the coffee maker brand that you use.. usually the coffee makers have a separate water passage area that converts the plain water as steaming hot water before it drips to the coffee filter of the coffee maker.

4.       Switch off the coffee maker when the switch / light glows off and wait for few minutes for the water to drip completely through the powder and become decotion

5.       Boil milk to steaming hot temperature.

6.       Mix the decotion and milk along with sugar to the desired consistency and prepare the coffee.

7.       Both decotion and milk should be done simultaneously so that the coffee is hot. Else, the decotion will cool down and you have to re heat milk decotion mix to make it hot, making it lose the original degree coffee flavour.

Preparation using Traditional Coffee Filter: (I learnt this from My Grand Mother – this is the old method for preparing the coffee decotion)

1.       Ensure that the coffee filter is completely dry with no water drops.

2.       Add 5 or 6 sugar crystals to the bottom of the filter.

3.       Add the coffee powder and press it firmly using your   fist. The ratio of coffee powder - water remains the same almost as stated before.

4.       Boil water separately to boiling – steaming hot.

5.       Pour the required water quantity little by little. Otherwise, it will over flow. Give time for the poured water to become decotion and pour the remaining measure then.

6.       Boil milk to steaming hot temperature.

7.       Mix the decotion and milk along with sugar to the desired consistency and prepare the coffee.

8.       Both decotion and milk should be done simultaneously so that the coffee is hot. Else, the decotion will cool down and you have to re heat milk decotion mix to make it hot.