‘Turkish’ coffee is the method used the prepare coffee throughout the Middle East the Balkans and, of course, in Turkey. The secret of preparing Turkish coffee is to create a rich, creamy layer of froth at the top of each cup that imparts the flavor.
Turkish coffee is best prepared in a small pot with a long handle called a cezve (often spelled jezve or gezve). You can find these pots in various sizes but the most common variety can accommodate two to four cups of coffee.
For every cup of Turkish coffee you wish to serve, use one teaspoon of coffee powder. Note that Turkish coffee powder is much more finely ground than other coffee varieties. Turkish coffee is usually ground at home using a grinder made specifically for this purpose. However, you can also purchase the coffee powder in specialty shops.
When preparing Turkish coffee, you need to add the sugar at the beginning of the process rather than at the end. Add 1-3 teaspoons of sugar per serving, depending on taste. You can use brown sugar, but regular white sugar creates more foam and that is what many people prefer.
Now add a cardamom seed for extra flavor. You need to crack open the cardamom pod to expose the inner seeds. Those have all the flavor. Extract the seeds and throw away the outer pod. Crush the seeds extra fine and use them sparingly. A half a teaspoon should do the trick.
Now add water to the pot. Chlorinated water can ruin the taste and prevent the foam from rising, so if you’re not sure about the quality of your tap water it’s better to use bottled water. You need to add about one espresso cup of water for each serving of coffee. Be sure to leave a little room at the top of the pot for the coffee to boil up.
Now place the coffee over a low heat. Turkish coffee cooks up quickly so you want to be able to catch it before it boils over. Give the ingredients a thorough stir at this point. From this point forward, you should not stir the coffee again. The point is not to disturb the creation of the foam.
As soon as the coffee begins to froth on the top you need to take it off the fire. Skim a little of the foam from the top and place it in the bottom of each cup.
Now boil up your coffee a second time and take it off the flame. Let it rest for a minute and then put it back on the fire. In total, you want to let your coffee boil up three times.
Now you’re ready to pour the coffee. Do your best to preserve the foam by pouring into the side of each cup. Pour slowly to allow the froth to rise to the top.
That’s it! Wait a minute or two for the grounds to settle in the cup before drinking your Turkish coffee. Stop drinking when you feel the first bit of ‘mud’ on your tongue. You can leave the rest of the grounds at the bottom of the cup.