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Filter Kaapi | Filter Coffee Recipe | Degree Coffee

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Coffee is a beverage but Kaapi is an emotion. I am not exaggerating at all. You all know coffee but what is Kaapi?! It is the traditional South Indian styled Filter Coffee. Before I go further into this amazing coffee recipe, I should talk about my coffee journey. From being a person who had never tasted a drop of coffee, I am now a big time coffee lover. Yes, you heard me right. Growing up, the sister and I never drank coffee/tea/milk. We were always served fresh food and there was no need for the coffee/tea fix and given how we were not big milk lovers, my Amma didn’t push us much. After moving to Bangalore and surviving alone during my spinster days (especially with no kitchen), I had to find something to curb the hunger pangs and that’s how my coffee relationship started. The husband and I love our glass of coffee every now and then, absolutely enjoy exploring different types of coffee. I am not too addicted to it (or so I think) but I would love my cuppa 🙂

Filter Coffee_1-1

Filter Kaapi is specially prepared using a South Indian Coffee Filter. The filter itself comes in different sizes (usually in stainless steel) and has two parts – the top compartment where the coffee powder is added and pressed down by the umbrella handle and the bottom part that collects the coffee decoction. Recently, I got our home a small sized coffee filter – just perfect for the both of us. I was super excited to find a pack of perfectly roast and ground Leo Coffee Powder too. The quality of the filter kaapi depends a lot on the coffee powder and the milk used. The taste of this Leo coffee is exceptional 🙂

CH_Filter Coffee_1-2

Have you heard about Degree Coffee before?! In most towns South of Tamilnadu, Degree Kaapi is quite popular. It just means a coffee that’s made with 1st degree decoction or the first collected decoction. Using the coffee filter, decoction can take atleast half an hour to percolate. The thickness of this 1st degree decoction depends on the amount of coffee powder and the boiling water used. One can actually get 2nd or even a 3rd degree decoction but they are always lighter and thinner than the first.

CH_Filter Coffee2-1

This special degree filter coffee is traditionally served in a Davara Tumbler set – a stainless steel tumbler and a cup beneath it. Usually, the tumbler is filled 3/4th with hot milk and the remaining 1/4th is filled with thick coffee decoction. Sugar is added in as an afterthought which settles at the bottom. Before this coffee is consumed, it is swished from the tumbler to the cup for 4-5 times until the coffee is frothy. A filter kaapi is never stirred with a spoon and it is almost considered a blasphemy 😀 It is this moving of coffee quickly between the tumbler and cup that mixes in the sugar and makes the coffee frothy. With all these interesting details, I am throwing in one more.. This steel davara set here belongs to my parents and they got it as a gift during the wedding. It surely is more than 30 years old but very dear to me for many special reasons.

Now enjoy this Special Filter Kaapi recipe 🙂

CH_Filter Coffee (2)1

To make Filter Kaapi | Filter Coffee Recipe | Degree Coffee

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

What I used –
  • Coffee Powder, 2-3 tbsp
  • Fresh Milk, 2 cups (or more)
  • Boiling Hot Water, as required
  • Sugar, as required

Filter Coffee_2-1

How I made –

1. In the coffee filter’s top compartment, remove the umbrella handle and put the coffee powder. Gently press down the coffee powder using the umbrella handle. Set the filter and pour boiling hot water into the top compartment atleast until 3/4th full. Tightly close it with a lid. Don’t disturb and let it sit for atleast 30 mins.

2. The 1st degree decoction would be collected in the bottom compartment. If required, additional decoction (2nd time) can be obtained by adding more hot water again. Remember, it will never be as strong or thick as the 1st one.

3. Bring the milk to a boil. Set the tumbler davara set and fill the tumbler 3/4th with milk. Now add 2tsp – 2tbsp of coffee decoction to the milk depending on how strong the coffee is needed. Add sugar as per liking. I usually add little less than 2 tsp of sugar to my coffee and that’s how I like it.

4. Before drinking the coffee, swish it carefully from the tumbler to the davara (the cup beneath) and vice-versa so that the coffee is frothy and the sugar is mixed well.

5. Enjoy the filter coffee hot 🙂

Filter Coffee_4-1

Note –
  • I used store bought coffee powder that has 80% coffee and 20% chicory.
  • My coffee filter is a small one that makes enough decoction for 2-3 people.
  • The amount of coffee powder for single serving is 1 – 1.5 tbsp (depending on how strong the coffee is needed)
  • Water has to be on a rolling boil before pouring into the filter.
  • The coffee powder in the filter should be pressed down gently using the umbrella handle. If the coffee powder is too loose, coffee decoction would be strong. If it is too tight, coffee decoction takes hours to percolate at the bottom.
  • Add 2 tsp to 2tbsp of thick decoction depending on how strong your coffee has to be.
  • Remember, never use a spoon to stir-in. Instead, move the coffee in a swift action between the tumbler and cup (or two tumblers).
  • Be careful not to move the coffee around so much as it easily cools down by this action 🙂

If you wish to get regular updates on my recipes, do follow me on Facebook @ Cooking From My Heart. You can also reach to me at cookingfrommyheart@gmail.com for any suggestions or queries 🙂

I’m bringing Filter Kaapi to the Fiesta Friday party #111 at Angie’s and the co-hosts this week are Naina @ Spice in the City and Julianna @ Foodie On Board🙂

Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Pepper

    Ah.. so excited to see a coffee post from a filter coffee addict!
    I loved coffee all my life, until I tasted REAL filter coffee for the first time in my inlaws house, the very first time I visited. I have never looked back. I got my filter on the day I got my wedding sari and it is my most priced possession. It has traveled with all over, as I moved to Ohio, then to California, then back to Mumbai.

    Here is my problem though. I use only the Madras CCD ka coffee powder and that means every time I visit Madras or the inlaws visit Mumbai, I pack in kgs of coffee powder in bulk.(My suitcases smell heavenly!) I have tried several other filter coffee powders available in Mumbai, but nothing comes close to that one. So since my supply is limited, I am usually insecure about making coffee every single day 😀 Wish I could find the same powder here. Until then I’ll enjoy my coffee only twice a week. We only use the first decoction so more need to preserve the powder.

    This is such a long comment, but I really get super emotional by the mere mention of filter kaapi. Now instant coffee makes me barf. I often tell Mint the biggest advantage of marrying him for me was discovering filter coffee 😀

    Thanks for the post. Made my morning!

    Reply

    • CHCooks

      Wow Pepper! 🙂 Did not know about your coffee love.. especially with filter kaapi 🙂 You mean you get coffee day’s coffee powder from Madras?! Interestingly I have never tried it. I love Narasus Coffee and when I found Leo coffee by chance in Bangalore, I just had to get a pack. Weekdays are too busy for us, so S and I have coffee only during the weekends and I can so understand you treasuring your coffee powder 🙂

      I have to thank you for writing this 🙂 Made my day too! A big hug from a fellow coffee lover 🙂

      Reply

  5. Arch

    I loved this post! <3
    I am an ardent coffee lover, and if my coffee is not perfect, I am just not satisfied. I like it strong and if the decoction is light, I get really irritated!

    Reply

    • CHCooks

      Thank you Arch 🙂 I was reluctant to post it, what with coffee being so simple to make but then, filter coffee is not so easy to master. Just like you, I hate it if the decoction is light or the coffee is watery.

      Reply

  6. Monika

    Loved ur write up.. Have never tasted filter coffee.. Kaapi actually 😀 I so wanna have a cup right now.. need to buy that kaapi maker soon ?
    By the way.. how to make just one cup? A tea cup.. Is it possible?

    Reply

    • CHCooks

      Thanks Monika 🙂 You sure can make just a cup.. however you would have some leftover decoction that stays well for a day. You just use 1tbsp of coffee powder and just little water (1/4th cup) to make less decoction.

      Reply

  16. srividhya

    Can’t imagine my mornings without kaapi. This time luckily we found a 110V coffee maker and got it right away and that saves a lot of time.. So filter kaapi these days in the weekdays also. 🙂

    Reply

  17. Jhuls

    The filter itself sounds interesting. I have never seen one before. And the coffe is absolutely perfect- I am a coffee lover so I won’t pass anything as delicious as this. Yum! 🙂

    Reply

  19. freakyveggie

    Loved your description of the kaapi GB 🙂 Was smiling all through the post !
    I never tasted coffee before I met V and since V is a coffee lover, I got introduced to it and started liking it over a period of time. I don’t take it regularly but love those times when I do have it.
    And I love that steel filter kaapi set 🙂

    Reply

  21. spiceinthecity

    I have fond memories of drinking filter kaapi back home and miss it so much! Need to get myself one of those filters the next time 🙂 Thank you for sharing this delicious beverage at Fiesta Friday!

    Reply

  22. Osyth

    Having lived in Italy and France and now here I would like to think I am a bit of a connoisseur but I did not know anything about Kaafi …. I need to find out – my interest is piqued …. tell me where to buy and I will try!

    Reply

  25. Indu

    Lovely post! I love filter coffee too but here in the US I just make it with my coffee maker. Your instructions are superb! thank you! I will have to get a filter now next time I visit India 🙂

    Reply

    • chcooks

      Thank you so much Ranjani 🙂 Welcome to my blog and thanks for your kind words.

      Heading over to your space now 🙂

      Reply

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