BLACK COFFEE

    Well, my first cup of black coffee was during my school days, and it was when we were building a house.  I happen to go to the building site with my Mom one day.  The workers made coffee in their little shack during their break time, and they offered me a glass of Kadunkkaappi.  With all my OCD and cringing to every single dirt, dust and grim, people who know me well, knows my behaviour.  But they were so sweet and were serving it so wholeheartedly that, and I didn't want to disappoint them... In spite of my Mom's hard stare and all those strict officer behaviour, even she couldn't deny their cup of coffee.  A simple Black Coffee with Panaivellam (Palm Sugar), but it was so tasty that I still remember the day and the memory of drinking my first cup of Black Coffee.  Since then, whenever I went to the house construction site, I asked them for the Coffee and as always they were so willing and happy to serve me one.

So, what would you need for a Good Cup of Black Coffee

Obviously,  

GROUND COFFEE POWDER

Coffee Powder:

• Experiment with different brands(if you are into ready-made Coffee Grounds), until the one which perfectly suits your taste.

• I get my Coffee Powders ground at a Kopitiam (Malaysian Coffee Shops).  I mix two varieties of Coffee Beans.  Which are tried and tested with many combinations through the years and until I got settled with two different beans which suited my taste. So try your luck with different beans until you settle with your choice.

• While I was in India, I have tried my tastes with brands like Kannan Jubilee Coffee, Green Label Coffee powder & Café Coffee Day fresh grounds.

• Instant Coffee Powder:  And if you cannot get a decent ground coffee and if you are in urge for a good cup of Black Coffee, the simplest of all methods is just to mix a few teaspoons of Instant Coffee Powder to hot water.  You would get a Decent enough Black Coffee, though I do not prefer it personally.  Coffee Connoisseurs... please excuse me!
  

Coffee Powder Ground size:

• I prefer coarsely ground Coffee Powder, which is mostly perfect to be used in a Drip Coffee Maker.  A popular recommendation stands that the Coffee Grounds should be the size of a coarse sugar.
• Finer Grounds are preferred too, but it can result in a bitter tasting brew with a fine residue at the bottom of your cup of Black Coffee. And again it is personal preference.

• When making Coffee, try to use fresh & good quality water.  Water quality reflects greatly on the taste of the Coffee.
• Always start with fresh water out of the tap, not water that has been previously boiled or has been sitting around. 
• Do not over boil or roll boil the water.  Switch off the flame when the water just starts to boil.
• The ideal temperature for brewing coffee is 93°Celsius/200° Fahrenheit. 
• I prefer to heat the water in a kettle. 
  

Sweeteners:

• Sugar is the best choice, and it is a universally popular one.  But with recent health propagation, anything white isn't a healthy norm - go with Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Palm Sugar, Coconut Sugar or Cane Jaggery, Palm Jaggery etc.,  Or simply stick on to my style - no sweeteners at all.

BLACK COFFEE

     In my opinion, "Coffee is all about the taste & aroma."  And that's why there are many ways to make coffee - each method offers a different taste, from bold and robust cold brew (which is my Son's speciality and favourite), to smooth, creamy French press coffee etc., But whatever the method you use, it's all about convenience and personal preference.  people have very strong opinions on what type of coffee is best (hey, it's personal!)  And here, let me give you some simple methods I follow to make Black Coffee.

But, for all the methods I simply use this measurement, which suits me personally. This recipe allows you to scale up your Coffee brewing and to cater for more.

• The Coffee brew ratio is 12- 15 grams of Ground powder for every 240 ml Cup 

For more COFFEE TALKS, Click here... 

HOW TO MAKE BLACK COFFEE

BLACK COFFEE

SIMPLE STOVE TOP METHOD:

    Let us first talk about the utmost simpler version of making a Black Coffee, no need of Filters, Coffee Sock, Percolators, Moka Pots, French Press, Pod Machines, Espresso makers or as such.  Just a Sauce pan, some Coffee powder (Ground or Instant), Water and Sugar/Palm Sugar/Jaggery.

    This was the first method I tried during my college days, after tasting the Kadungkaappi.  I bought a packet of Kannan Jubiliee Coffee Powder (a locally popular brand) - may be a few might remember the TV advertisement in which a Brahmin man (Actor Usilaimani) says - Besh! Besh! Romba Nannarukku!!!  Ah! I knew the difference between Instant Coffee and Ground Coffee then....(let me give a pat on my back). The recipe is as simple as it is.

    I boiled a Cup of water in a Saucepan, when it started to just boil, I added a few teaspoons of Ground Coffee Powder and added Panaivellam (Palm Jaggery) to sweeten it. Filtered it through a fine sieve and Tada... I had my first cup of wonderful Kadungakaappi.  Then no looking back.  But I just skipped adding any sweeteners to my Black Coffee on the long run.  As they say, I like it neat!  

INGREDIENTS:

For Black Coffee:

Optional Ingredients:

Sugar/Brown Sugar/Palm Sugar/Jaggery

METHOD:

Black Coffee - Stove-top Method:

• Heat 1 Cup of Water, when it's just hot enough add Ground Coffee Powder.
• Bring it to a just boil. 
• Once it comes to a boil, remove from heat and mix in a teaspoon of preferred sweetener.
• Strain the Black Coffee through a fine sieve & Serve hot.

THE TRADITIONAL METHOD - POUR-OVER BLACK COFFEE

POUR-OVER BLACK COFFEE

    Yet another method is the pour-over Black Coffee, which is the popular traditional method to brew rich, strong and hot Black Coffee. I follow this method while making Malaysian style Kopitiam Kopi(O).  Most coffee aficionados believe that the pour-over, single-cup method provides the best, richest black coffee. So, this method is always the best.

    Brewing coffee using a pour over is one of the more gentle brewing methods. Pour-overs can be used over a single mug or larger carafe to make a full-bodied cup of coffee.

    Medium-coarse grounds are placed in a cone-shaped funnel with a filter. Hot water is added to the grounds in batches. The first time to “bloom” the coffee grounds, and the second time to fully brew them. As the water filters through the grounds, it empties into a single cup or carafe, resulting in a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee.

INGREDIENTS:

For Black Coffee:

Optional Ingredients:

Sugar/Brown Sugar/Palm Sugar/Jaggery

METHOD:

For Pour-over Black Coffee: 

• Place a Coffee Sock/Funnel with a filter over a Coffee pot or a cup big enough to hold the brew.
• Measure 12-15 Grams of ground Coffee Powder and put it into the Coffee Sock/Funnel with a filter. 
• First pour some hot water (just about 90 °C - 95 °C) into the Coffee sock.
• Make sure to wet (bloom) all the Coffee Powder.
• Then again pour in the remaining hot water into the filter.
  
• Let it sit for about 3-4 minutes.
• Once brewed, gently tap the Coffee Sock/Funnel with a filter, so that the brew is well mixed.
• Gently remove the sock, tapping out the brew.
  
• Pour it out into Porcelain Cups, add any sweetener of your choice and serve it hot.
• There you go with hot & strong Black Coffee.
  

Optional Ingredients:

Sugar/Brown Sugar/Palm Sugar/Jaggery

METHOD:

For Drip Coffee Machine Coffee:

• Place the Filter cup into the Funnel.
• Measure 12-15 Grams of ground Coffee Powder and put it into the Filter cup
• First, pour some cold water (@room temperature) into the reservoir of the Drip Coffee Maker.
• Switch on the power and let it sit until the Coffee brews automatically.
• Water heats up and passes through the Coffee Grounds through what looks like a shower head. 
• Brewed coffee is then dispensed into a glass carafe that sits atop a hot plate, which keeps the coffee warm.
• Let it sit for about 2-3 minutes.
• Gently remove the carafe from the machine and give a gentle swirl.
  
• Pour it out into Porcelain Cups, add any sweetener of your choice and serve it hot.
• There you go with hot & strong Black Coffee.

BLACK COFFEE

NOTES:

• The brew is on a slightly strong side, which I prefer personally. Adjust the amount of Coffee Powder to suit your taste.
  
• You can adjust it by adding more or less water to suit your style of Cuppa.
• For a diluted version of Coffee, add more water to the brew.
• Make sure to add hot water while diluting the Coffee.
• Sweeten your Black Coffee with your choice of Sweetener, or have it as it is.
• Or if you prefer iced cold coffee, pour out the brew into a tall glass & add few ice cubes into it and serve it cold.
  

*As a thumb rule - Practice makes things Perfect and the rule goes for a Black Coffee too & I would like to say, stick onto your preference when it comes to recipes like this!