South Indian–Style Filter Coffee

Name: South Indian–Style Filter Coffee
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D0H30M
Total time: PT0D0H30M
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp. medium-ground coffee; 3 Tbsp. whole milk; 1 tsp. sugar

This milky, slightly sweet beverage is poured repeatedly between cups to create an airy froth.

Serves
1
Time
30 minutes

PHOTO: MATT TAYLOR-GROSS • FOOD STYLING: KAT CRADDOCK

By Meher Mirza

Published on February 27, 2025

This hot, frothy style of coffee originally hails from South India but is popular today in certain cafés in Mumbai. It’s traditionally made using a small metal percolator similar to the kind used for Vietnamese cà phê. It’s designed for a lengthy extraction that results in a bold taste. In India, you’ll commonly find the grounds blended with roasted chicory root, which offers a robust flavor boost as well as extra absorption, slowing down the brew for a more potent decoction. To create an airy, foamy consistency, the milky coffee is poured repeatedly from the tumbler into the saucer (called a davara) and back, which also helps bring the hot brew to a comfortable drinking temperature. (If you don’t have a davara set, you can use two mugs to achieve a similar result.)

Featured in "Good Morning, Mumbai!" by Meher Mirza in the Fall/Winter 2024 issue.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp. medium-ground coffee
3 Tbsp. whole milk
1 tsp. sugar

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Instructions

Step 1

To the upper vessel of an Indian-style coffee percolator, add the coffee. Using the perforated insert, lightly press down on the grounds, then fill the vessel with boiling water. Cover the percolator with the lid and set aside until all the liquid has drained into the bottom vessel, 20–30 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a small pot over high heat, bring the milk to a full boil. Pour the filtered coffee into the tumbler, add the milk and sugar, then pour it into the saucer and back; repeat until frothy, at least twice more. Serve immediately.

To the upper vessel of an Indian-style coffee percolator, add the coffee. Using the perforated insert, lightly press down on the grounds, then fill the vessel with boiling water. Cover the percolator with the lid and set aside until all the liquid has drained into the bottom vessel, 20–30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small pot over high heat, bring the milk to a full boil. Pour the filtered coffee into the tumbler, add the milk and sugar, then pour it into the saucer and back; repeat until frothy, at least twice more. Serve immediately.