Welcome to your quick, no-nonsense guide on how to brew the most authentic Darshini kaapi possible in the comfort of your own home. Firstly, you need to get the basics right.
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Kaapi Blend - You can’t make great coffee if the blend you’re starting out with isn’t right for you. Look for a 80% coffee, 20% chicory blend for a smooth, authentic flavour. Or, if you’re looking for something punchier, look for a 70% coffee, 30% chicory mix - do be warned though, this is often also quite nutty and bitter in flavour due to the strong notes lent to the coffee by chicory.
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The Filter - Unlike standardised brewing apparatus like the Hario V60 or Bialetti Moka Pot, the South Indian Filter has no manufacturing conventions to ensure quality and consistency between filters. So, when picking yours, pay attention to 3 details: the size (does it make as many cups as you want?), the spacing of the filter piercings (are they even and concentric?) and the snugness of the tamper’s fit (does it fit well or float around?). If the answer is satisfactory to all three questions, it’s probably a good filter!
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Serveware - Traditionally, South Indian filter coffee is consumed in a davara set, with hot coffee poured into the tumbler when serving and then poured out into the davara by the drinker. The up-and-down movement of the coffee between the tumbler and the davara generates the macrofoam enhancing the mouthfeel, but also cools the coffee to a drinkable temperature. Filter coffee is often consumed in small amounts, akin to a cortado, and often through the day, punctuating mornings and afternoons as well as visits to known ones. A small espresso cup or cortado glass also works really well although, generate the macrofoam before serving in that case.
Now that our equipment and serveware is in line, this is a simple recipe to get your perfect glass. Note: The quantities are calibrated to our filter which has a 200ml capacity - please adjust quantities accordingly if brewing with a different one!
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Add 2 heaped tablespoons of the ground coffee blend (our Vasavi Dew is an excellent choice!) to the upper chamber of the filter and tap the side to even the bed.
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Place the upper chamber on top of the lower and ensure a good seal.
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Heat water to approximately 93 degrees celsius.
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Bloom the coffee with a small amount of water poured in concentric circles from the centre outwards, clockwise. Only pour enough to wet all the grounds.
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Allow the coffee to bubble and once there are no further bubbles, push the tamper gently onto the coffee.
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Pour the heated water until 90% of the filter is filled.
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Close the lid and allow 10-15 minutes for the decoction to collect in the bottom chamber.
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Use a 1:5 ratio of decoction to heated milk (heated until close to boiling, but not boiling) for an authentic coffee - pour the milk in from one metre above, to get the perfect macrofoam.
And that’s your perfect kaapi ready!