Filter Coffee
made popular in Calcutta thanks to the large South Indian community in the city
In this video, we make 5 different coffee preparations—which all originate from a single strong ‘decoction’ or liquor.
It all starts with good coffee—that is, actual coffee beans, roasted and ground, and not instant coffee.
a coffee bean
ground coffee beans
In India, coffee is mostly grown in the southern states.
Coffee grounds in South India are typically mixed with chicory, which gives it body and a rich colour.
Unlike instant coffee, coffee grounds don’t dissolve in water. They need to be brewed—just like tea!
let’s take a look at our coffee filter
a South Indian coffee filter
UPPER perforated brewing chamber
tamper or press
lid
let’s brew!
2 tbsp / 100ml
coffee
2 tbsp coffee / 100ml water
level
press down the tamper
hot water
NOTE: this won’t work with instant coffee!
looking to buy filter + ground coffee in Calcutta?
let it drip
water’s gone! (20-30 mins)
used coffee grounds (discard)
the good stuff
we’ll use this strong coffee liquor to make 5 kinds of drinks
pass coffee between the tumblers to dissolve the sugar
Did you know Coffee House uses filter coffee too?
let’s make 4 drinks from the Coffee House menu
Coffee House egg sandwich (link in description)
serve with a pot of cream and sugar on the side
dissolve sugar while liquid is still hot
