Filter Coffee Recipe (South Indian Coffee)
A tasty South Indian filter coffee recipe that will have you coming back for more! Add hot milk to this coffee and serve it with tiffin breakfast items like upma, idli, dosa, uttapam or medu vada. Make in just 15 minutes!
About Filter Coffee
I am a regular tea drinker but I do enjoy filter coffee from time to time so I am sharing a traditional way of making this beverage. It is also known as filter kaapi in Tamil language and Mysore filter coffee.
This popular coffee is also served in South Indian hotels, restaurants and street-side food stalls.
You will need the South Indian coffee filter to make this tasty hot beverage. It is available in most utensil shops in South India, West India and also online.
This method is similar to the french press coffee decoction however the equipment used is unique and different. Plus the apparatus is very simple to use.
You will need coffee powder to prepare the coffee. My parents travel to South India quite often so they normally pick up coffee powder from there so I always have stock. The taste of the coffee largely depends on the type of ground coffee used.
So buy a good brand of filter coffee powder. Keep in mind that the filter coffee powder is different from instant coffee.
Serve the filter coffee immediately as a single beverage or serve it after tiffin breakfast items like upma, idli, dosa, uttapam or medu vada.
How to make Filter Coffee
Preparation
1. The picture below shows a South Indian coffee filter which makes for 2 to 3 tumblers (small glasses) of this drink. It comes in various sizes.
2. The parts include two cylindrical vessels. The top vessel has perforations in it and it fits into the lower vessel which collects the coffee brew. There is also a pressing disc with a handle and a lid.
3. This is a picture of the top vessel with the perforations.
4. This is the base vessel where the coffee decoction is collected.
Make Coffee Decoction
5. Now let’s move on to the coffee! Use ground coffee to prepare filter coffee. Place the top vessel on the lower one. Then take 3 teaspoons of coffee and place it in the top vessel with the perforations. For this filter use the following proportions:
- 4 teaspoons coffee powder – for strong coffee
- 3 teaspoons coffee powder – for medium strong
- 1.5 to 2 teaspoons coffee powder – for light coffee
6. Gently spread and even out the coffee powder with your fingers or a small spoon.
7. Place the pressing disc with the handle on the coffee powder.
8. Heat 1 cup of water in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil.
9. When the water comes to a boil, gently pour the water in the top vessel.
10. Fill it up to ¾ or until it is almost full. I used 1 cup so the top vessel was almost full with hot water.
11. Cover with the lid and leave to sit for 10 to 12 minutes until the coffee decoction percolates in the lower vessel.
Depending upon the size of the perforations in the top vessel it will take more or less time for the coffee to percolate.
12. Here is a photo of the top vessel with some water left in it.
13. In the photo below all of the coffee is percolated and brewed. Cover and set aside.
Make Filter Coffee
14. Once the coffee has brewed, heat ¾ cup of full fat or whole milk until it starts to boil. You can even start heating milk just before all the water percolates.
For a vegan filter coffee heat plant based milk like cashew milk, oats milk, almond milk or soy milk until hot. Don’t boil them as they may curdle or separate.
15. Now take a tumbler (glass) and add 2 teaspoons sugar to it. Or you can add the sugar as needed to the milk. You can use white sugar or raw sugar.
16. Pour ¼ to ⅓ cup of hot boiling milk directly into the tumbler while straining it.
17. I strain the milk to avoid the malai (the layer of cream on top) that comes with boiling milk. If you like malai, then you can add the milk without the strainer. Add less or more milk depending on your preference
18. Pour ¼ to ⅓ cup of the brewed coffee into the cup. You can add less or more depending on your preference.
19. The filter coffee is almost ready.
Way To Serve
While the coffee is almost ready to be served. It is made frothy and bubbly with a special technique that I am sharing below.
To make the coffee frothy a pan shaped like vessel is used called as dabarah or davara. The coffee is served in a small glass placed on dabarah.
You can also use a frother or any other small sauce pan, if you don’t have this small shaped pan.
20. Now take dabarah or davara which is a small pan-shaped vessel that is used to cool the coffee. Pour the coffee back and forth from the tumbler into the davara. This will help the sugar to dissolve and a top layer of foam will form on the coffee.
21. Pour the coffee from the davara into the tumbler.
22. Repeat this step again at least 2 to 3 times but don’t do it too much as the coffee will become cold. You can also skip this step if you don’t have time.
Repeat this method with the remaining servings of the coffee to make it frothy.
23. Serve filter coffee as soon as it is made.
Expert Tips
- Davara: I like to pour the coffee back and forth from the davara and tumbler two to three times to ensure that there are no sugar granules at the bottom of the mixture. It also gives the coffee a nice layer of froth at the top. However, you don’t have to do this step if you are short on time. You can also use any other small sauce pan instead of davara.
- Milk: Make sure you heat the milk before you pour it into the sugar as you don’t want cold coffee. Before you pour the milk into sugar strain it to get rid of the layer of cream (malai) formed on the top. If you don’t mind then pour the milk in the coffee without a strainer.
- Coffee: Use good quality filter coffee powder for this recipe. You can also alter the strength of this coffee to suit your preference. If you want strong coffee then use 4 teaspoons of coffee powder. For medium coffee use 3 teaspoons of coffee powder and for a weaker coffee use 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of coffee.
- Sugar: Feel free to add more sugar to this recipe if you have a sweet tooth and if you like your coffee plain then skip the sugar altogether.
FAQs
What is meant by filter coffee?
Filter coffee refers to roasted coffee beans that have been grounded and are used for coffee machines.
The container is made of glass. Is this ok or should it be made of steel only?
The containers often come in steel or glass so the container can be made of glass as long as it is able to withstand liquids at high temperatures. However, generally we use steel or brass ones.
There was a lot of coffee residue left in the upper container. Any idea why it happened and can I use the residue?
There is usually some residue with most filter coffee powder brands and you can prepare more coffee with the residue using the same method. Simply scrape the residue from the press, place it in the top container and prepare. I usually only get a bit of residue so I discard it.
Does filter coffee taste different to instant coffee?
Filter coffee tastes very different from instant coffee. The taste largely depends on the variety, type, and grade of the coffee beans.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons ground coffee
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup whole milk or add as required
- 2 teaspoons sugar for each glass or mug or add as required
Instructions
Making coffee decoction
- Take the coffee filter. Fit the top vessel on the lower one. Now take 3 teaspoons ground coffee and place it in the vessel with the perforations.
- Gently spread and even out the coffee powder with your fingers or with a small spoon.
- Place the pressing disc with the handle on the coffee powder.
- Heat 1 cup water in a sauce pan and let it come to a boil.
- When the water comes to a boil, gently pour the water in the top vessel, till its ¾ or almost full.
- Cover with the lid. Wait for 10 to 12 minutes till the coffee decoction percolates in the lower vessel.
Making filter coffee
- When all of the coffee is brewed, then heat 3/4 cup full fat or whole milk till it becomes hot and boils.
- Now take a tumbler (glass) and add 2 teaspoons sugar in it.
- Add ¼ to ⅓ cup hot boiling milk directly in the tumbler (glass) while straining it. I strain milk, so as to avoid the malai that comes with the boiling milk. If you like malai (clotted cream), then you can add milk without straining it. You can add less or more milk as per your preference.
- Now pour ¼ cup or ⅓ cup of the brewed coffee. You can add less or more or as much as you like.
Serving Method
- Now take dabarah or davara. This is a small pan shaped vessel that is used to cool the coffee. The coffee is poured back and forth from the tumbler to the davara and so on. Thus the sugar dissolves and a top layer of foam forms on the coffee. Pour the coffee from the tumbler from a height in the davara.
- Now pour the coffee from the davara back in the tumbler.
- Repeat again pouring coffee in the davara from the tumbler and vice versa.You can do this process 2 to 3 times. Don't do too much as then the coffee becomes cold. You can even skip this step if you want.
- Repeat this method with the remaining servings of the coffee to make it frothy.
- Serve filter coffee hot. It needs to be served immediately as soon as its made.
Notes
- Use a good quality and aromatic filter coffee powder.
- You can increase, decrease or skip the sugar according to your taste.
- To prepare a vegan filter coffee heat plant based milk like along milk, oats milk, soy milk or cashew milk until hot. Don’t boil them as they may curdle or separate.
- The recipe can be scaled.
Nutrition
This Filter Coffee recipe from the archives was first published on Sep 2016. It has been updated on December 2024.
Filter coffee is perhaps the mainstay of every South Indian family. My mom cannot her start her day without it. I have struggled to get the right kind of filter coffee with the right coffee/chicory blend that gets the right balance of taste and flavor. Coffee Day pure coffee is what I have settled with and it is just about ok. If you have a recommendation, I would love to know.
I agree so much. For some of my relatives and friends filter coffee is mandatory for breakfast. I do not have any brand recommendation as my parents get it in bulk from Kerala. They buy from these stores which sell only coffee or coffee products. I have used a few brands, but they were ok and not that great. A suggestion is that if you have a coffee grinder, you could make your own blend with coffee and chicory.
Very nice and straightforward recipe. Thank you!
Hi,
I got one filter coffee press locally here in Dubai, the container is made of glass. Is it Ok to have that or should it be made of steel only?
should work if the glass can take high heat temperatures.
Just to get more specific the coffee press i got is French press coffee maker, that is what I discovered today after searching in Google. And seems it doesn’t support percolation method, but instead direct pour. Couldn’t find enough material on the internet if this kind of coffee maker will give me south Indian kappi
fine. you can use french press to make filter coffee as the coffee liqueur is filtered in a french press but with another technique. just don’t keep the water and coffee granules mixed for a lot of time as then the coffee can get bitter. 2 to 3 minutes works well.
Awesome Preparation!
thank you.
Thanks for well explained recipe. Coffee turned out really good but there was lot of residue(fine coffee powder or coffee dust, i don’t know) left in upper container. Any idea why it happened? Can we use that residue or thats wastage? Thanks
welcome pri. there will be some residue. it happens with most filter coffee powder brands. a filter coffee known as second degree coffee is prepared with this residue. the method is similar to making filter coffee. just scrape off the residue from the press and place it in the top container. you will get the method on google. i get less residue, so i discard it. but if you get a lot of coffee residue in the filter, then you can make second degree coffee with it.
What I want to know, if the entire decoction is used in one cup of coffee? If not, to what time can you use the leftover decoction before it turns rancid. Plus if we use left over decoction, it will be cold. Won’t it effect the coffee.
I really need the answer for this
the entire decoction can be used to make 2 to 3 cups of coffee. leftover decoction can be refrigerated. you even make coffee shakes or cold coffee with it.
I love Sagar ratna’s filter coffee. I have tried so many coffee brands but never got that taste, not even close. Any leads how they make it, which coffee brands they use.
i have no idea akanksha. they must be sourcing it directly from the coffee powder manufacturers.
Add a pinch of salt (very little) to your coffee. Also, most of the South Indians get the coffee powder fresh from the place that makes coffee powder from the coffee beans. You get to choose the quantity of coffee and chicori as per your preference. In my home, we got fresh coffee beans from the coffee estate of relatives.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Could you also mention filter coffee brands available in North India?
welcome akanksha. i do not know of any filter coffee brands available in north india. my parents purchase filter coffee from local shops when they visit kerala and get for me too. you can check on amazon.in and see the reviews. i am sure you will get a good brand of filter coffee.
All brands available online on flipkart n amazon. Hattii, deccan gold, narsus, jayanti, bru green label are all good
Hi dassana….does filter coffee give instant coffee taste….actually i m having davidoff cafe brand …I bought it thinking its instant…but its not….particles settles down….last time also wasted whole pack… Can this b used to make filter coffee….does this give instant coffee taste….last time I baked coffee cookies but ended up like mud taste….
shubha, filter coffee tastes very different than instant coffee. since i have both on occasions, i can tell you the taste is remarkably different. you can try percolating the coffee decoction using davidoff coffee. you can even use a french press if you do not have the dawara. i have not tried davidoff coffee so i cannot say if the taste will be same like filter coffee. since the taste largely depends on the variety, type and grade of coffee beans. i have never had coffee cookies but had coffee cake and it tastes amazing. may be you can try some tried and tested recipe for coffee cookies from the web.
my decoction turned very watery.. how can I get better decoction
shilpa, the decoction is watery. add less water.
Could you plz put a link to but that instrument used for percolating coffee?
upasna, will add in a few days.
which coffee powder to be used? any name of rhe brand. I am not from the south so i am not aware of any brand name. please tell.
there are brands, but the ones my parents or i purchase are from coffee shops in south and there are many such shops there. you can even grind coffee beans at home. the below quora link can be helpful as it discusses the various filter coffee brands. you can purchase them online. buy a small packet and see if you like the aroma or taste.
link – https://www.quora.com/Which-is-the-best-South-Indian-coffee-powder-filter-coffee-powder-I-mean-available-in-the-market
does it take only 10 minutes for percolation?
i have heard that u need to keep this overnight if you want to have coffee in the morning.
it does not take much time. it also depends on the size of the coffee filter. the one i have just takes 10 to 12 minutes. some people do keep overnight for a strong decoction.
I would lik add tips for more tasty .mix sugar n coffee syrup in two glass twice or thrice so tat sugar dissolve n ten add hot milk to it n mix tat wil more tasty n above coffee again pour little coffe syrup for aroma
thanks for sharing your tips and suggestions harshya 🙂