Storm in a cup

This writerrsquos relationship with coffee has largely been functional Itrsquos akin to applying kohlmdashan act committed to muscle memory But thatrsquos not how the Turks treat their cuppa Itrsquos a coffee to be savoured shares Abdul Sahid Khan the Indian head trainer at Italian coffee brand Lavazza ldquoThe beverage is enjoyed across the Middle East and parts of Africa and the custom is to have it after a meal because it aids digestion It drinking coffee is also a communal practice that has historically brought people together and the traditional cafeacute is one where you sit and chatrdquo Interestingly this is not a drink that you can rush with even at the preparation stage because it requires you to set aside at least 10 to 15 minutes for brewingFistik Ankara baklava with Turkish coffee at HurremrsquosAs a beverage Turkish coffee carries a special brewing technique and is one of the oldest coffee making methods still in use which warrants its inclusion in the UNESCOrsquos list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Despite its growing popularity in the West and its cult status in the Middle East Turkish coffee can be hard to find in the city feels Khan ldquoWe Indians donrsquot like our coffee to be overwhelmingly strong We also prefer to have it with milk and thatrsquos evident in the popularity of cappuccinos and lattesrdquo That however is slowly changing with a small number of eateries offering Turkish coffee in MumbaiHurremrsquos a confectionery and cafeacute specialising in handcrafted Turkish baklava with outposts in BKC and Fort is one such establishment According to founder and CEO Ahmed Farid the idea to introduce Turkish coffee was a nobrainer given its place in Turkish culture ldquoItrsquos a powerful beverage which inevitably engages your olfactory sense when you are in its presencerdquo While locals in Turkey are known to typically drink Turkish coffee without sugar firsttimers often prefer to add sugar to make its powerful flavour a bit more palatable It helps to gently agitate the beverage before every sip to ensure an even mix of flavour Miniya Turk a cafeacute in Andheri West too has introduced the beverage to offer guests ldquoa feel of Turkeyrdquo The bitterness of the beans will definitely hit hard admits Chef Ishijyot Surri executive chef To ease the assault he slightly lightens it with additional hot water ldquoTo give it an Indian taste we also add a twist by serving Kimiya dates along with the coffee This helps cut out the bitterness and get a dash of sweetness along with the strong coffeerdquoTurkish coffee is often served with lokma or lokum Turkish delight These delicately chewy treats are infused with the sweet flavour of either rosewater bergamot or lemonThe art of perfecting Turkish coffee lies in the details starting with sourcing of the bean to the extraction method Both the processes and ingredients used to prepare Turkish coffee are vastly different from those used for your regular everyday drink notes Farid ldquoThe origin of the coffee bean determines its taste and aroma Therefore an important part of the process is not only to consider the type of bean that will be used in the preparation of the coffee but also where it is being sourced from and the multiple factors that will influence itrdquo he explains At Hurremrsquos 100 per cent Arabica beans are ground to a specific size to make the coffee The texture of Turkish ground coffee is finer than other kinds of coffee informs Surri which ensures its robust flavour and foam layer ldquoIn the preparation 13rd of the cup is filled with the ground coffee as opposed to other coffee varieties which are blended milk and hot waterrdquo The restaurant imports the beans from a local market in TurkeyChef Ishijyot SurriTurkish coffee is usually brewed in a copper longhandled pot called a cezve or ibrik The vessel is then filled with water and placed on a stove on low heat to generate foam an important aspect of the process It is this step that gives the Turkish coffee its velvety grainy texture ldquoOnce brewed the coffee is served unfiltered resulting in a higher caffeine concentration compared to other methods of preparation The ground coffee sinks to the bottom of the cup unlike other varieties that most of us are accustomed to and which are generally filteredrdquo says Farid While there are different variations of the coffee Surri says some keep it plain and simple while others add cardamom and cinnamonAhmed FaridBesides its taste and heritage another solid reason for its enduring popularity has been the practice of coffee cup reading a fortunetelling method ldquoFor centuries the art of reading Turkish coffee grounds has been a tradition in countries that prefer Turkish coffee and not just Turkey When I was working for a bistro in Bahrain kitty parties would be held and the ladies would frequently get their fortune read based on the leftover groundsrdquo