Filter Kaapi

Filter Kaapi

South India (Karnataka / Tamil Nadu)

A chicory-coffee blend dripped through a traditional stainless steel or brass two-chamber filter, then frothed by pulling it between a tumbler and davara (small metal cup) at arm's length. The dramatic pour is called 'meter coffee' because of the distance between hands. The chicory (typically 20-30% of the blend) adds a woody bitterness and extra body to the cup. It's frothy, strong, mixed with boiled milk and sugar, and served in the davara sitting atop the tumbler.

Brew Time10–15 minutes (slow filter drip)
TemperatureServed hot
Ratio3 tbsp coffee-chicory blend + 150ml boiling water + 100ml boiled milk + sugar
GrindFine-medium (traditional South Indian filter grind)

How to make it

  1. 1

    Add 3 tablespoons of coffee-chicory blend (typically 70:30 or 80:20 ratio) to the upper chamber of the Indian coffee filter.

  2. 2

    Press with the tamper disc, then add boiling water. Cover and let it drip through — this takes 10–15 minutes.

  3. 3

    In a separate vessel, boil milk with sugar.

  4. 4

    Mix the coffee decoction with hot milk and sugar in a tumbler.

  5. 5

    Pull between the tumbler and davara (small cup) from height to create froth — repeat 3–4 times until frothy. Serve in the davara set on the tumbler.