Have you ever happened to taste a cup of exquisite Arabic coffee? This special blend, also called “Qahwa,” carries with it the scent and flavour of the desert: the homeland of the Bedouin peoples, who used to refresh themselves with this very delicious beverage.
Its vaguely exotic aroma and slow preparation make Arabic coffee a true “nirvana” for the senses. We for one, who know about coffee, the first time we tasted it could not believe that there could be a coffee with such an intriguing taste!
That’s why we decided to share this wonderful experience with you, revealing how to prepare a great Arabic coffee in the quiet privacy of your own home.
What is Arabic coffee
Try to imagine this scene for a moment: you are home alone, when suddenly a friend knocks on your door, surprising you. What is the first thing you say to him, after you make him sit down? Most likely you ask him if he would like a coffee.
This is because, in Italian culture, coffee is the quintessential symbol of welcome, to the point that offering it to our guests is a gesture we consider absolutely normal and spontaneous. This applies, all the more so, if you are particularly skilled at making coffee, perhaps because you possess the best means to do so. After all, if you want to drink good coffee, you should do it with the right machine, such as a lever machine.
We at Pontevecchio specialize precisely in this type of machine, the characteristic of which is to keep all the aroma of the coffee unaltered: if this is exactly your goal, therefore, all you have to do is consult our catalogue and discover the right coffee machine for you.
That said, for the preparation of Arabic coffee the lever machine is unfortunately not enough. So, if from time to time you wish to surprise your guests with an unprecedented coffee that has become a symbol of a real culture, all you have to do is follow our instructions to the letter.
Arabic coffee tradition
The real strength of Qahwa lies entirely in its ingredients, especially the spices. In fact, the traditional drink includes cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and saffron. The important thing, however, is how this exotic experience is experienced.
As we have already mentioned to you, in fact, drinking Arabic coffee represents a real ritual that, as such, has very specific “rules”. Refusing a cup, for example, is considered an unkind gesture (so don’t do it!). In addition to this, when you drink it, always hold the cup (which in tradition is called “finjaan“) with your right hand and avoid filling it to the brim to avoid looking rude.
The moment you finish drinking it, shake the cup slightly and move it to the side: this way you will make it clear that you do not wish to refill it, although tradition “dictates” that you drink three cups. Lastly, since it is a coffee with a somewhat bitter taste, it would be ideal to enjoy it together with something sweet, such as a tray of dates, so as to respect 100% the ancient Arab traditions.
It goes without saying, of course, that these traditions apply mostly in the East, and at home you are free to “adapt” them to your own culture and personal customs. What you should keep as faithful as possible, however, is the way of preparing Qahwa, which we are about to explain in detail.
How to prepare Arabic coffee
To properly prepare Arabic coffee, you should first get the dallah, the original coffee pot used for making this beverage.
Basically, this is a metal pitcher including a lid and spout, which is traditionally used to boil coffee. Alternatively, you can replace it with a high-sided pot by getting the following ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons coffee powder;
- 6 cardamom berries;
- orange blossom water, or rose water;
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon powder;
- 6 cloves;
- a pinch of saffron;
- coffee powder of Arabica quality.
Place the spices inside a mortar and pound them to a powder. Having done this, place the saucepan (or dallah) on the stove, bringing 700 ml of water to a boil. Just before it comes to a boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and add the coffee, waiting one minute before putting it back on the heat again for another ten.
Remove the saucepan from the heat again and add the previously pulverized spices, after which bring it to a boil for the third and final time. At that point, your Arabic coffee will be almost ready: let it rest for 5 minutes and add a few drops of orange blossom (or rose) water along with saffron, which will enrich your drink with a unique taste!
Conclusion
When your exquisite Arabic coffee is finally ready, you can serve it to your guests: to do so, you will simply strain it and pour it into a thermos, from which you will go to distribute it into individual cups and without spoiling it by adding sugar. In fact, remember that Qahwa is savoured strictly bitter, and if you wish to sweeten the flavour a bit, you can enrich it with sweet cookies, candied fruit or the traditional dates.
And, with this last tip, we have come to the end of our guide dedicated to the preparation of Arabic coffee. As you have seen for yourself, it is certainly not a drink you can prepare every day, but only from time to time, when you want to surprise your guests with a really special service. Otherwise, you can always treat yourself to a great cup of our beloved espresso, even better if prepared with the help of your own personal lever machine!