South Indian Filter Coffee

Name: South Indian Filter Coffee Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 247 min
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons finely ground coffee powder; ¼ teaspoon granulated white sugar (plus more to sweeten the coffee as per your taste.); ¾ cup warm water; 2 cups boiling hot milk

By Neha Mathur

5 from 7 votes

on Jan 24, 2021, Updated Dec 12, 2023

Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe

South Indian filter coffee is a traditional Indian-style coffee made using a special filter. A coffee decoction is mixed with hot milk and sugar to create a perfect cuppa. Make it using my traditional recipe.

You may like a few more coffee recipes: Beaten Coffee, Armenian Coffee, Hazelnut Coffee, and French Press Cold Brew Coffee.

South Indian filter coffee served in a tumbler.

While growing up in North India, the only South Indian foods I knew were Idli, Dosa, Coconut Chutney, Sambar, and Filter Coffee. The times have changed now. With multi-cuisine restaurants opening up everywhere, people have become more aware of different cuisines.

When I came to Bangalore after marriage, we used to go to Darshinies for breakfast, and a cup of filter coffee was a must after hogging on the delicious masala dosa and idli vada.

After some time, I bought a filter and started brewing my own decoction. It took me a few attempts to figure out my favorite brand of coffee powder, whether I liked it with or without chicory, and other nuances.

Making a good cup of South Indian filter coffee is not rocket science, but small pointers help make the best cups. Please read the post carefully; I have mentioned small details that will take your coffee from OK to WOW!

About South Indian Filter Coffee

South Indian Style Filter Coffee is a coffee drink popular in southern India, including Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. It is best enjoyed with Dosa, idli, or Kuzhi Paniyaram.

Also known as degree coffee, filter kapi, Mylapore filter coffee, Madras filter coffee, Madras kaapi, Mysore filter coffee, or Kumbakonam degree coffee, it is a drip coffee brewed using a special filter.

It is also called meter coffee, as serving requires pulling the coffee between two utensils from a distance. Earlier, the servers would pull it from approximately a 1-meter distance, hence the name.

This strong, flavorful, sweet, and frothy South Indian filter kapi is served in all South Indian-style restaurants and Darshinies (Roadside South Indian Eateries). If you visit a South Indian friend, you cannot leave without being served a tumbler of homemade kaapi.

Traditionally, this aromatic coffee is served in a small tumbler and a dabara (container, cup) that is used to cool and mix it.

Pouring the kapi between the tumbler and the dabara creates the classic frothy layer over it. This process makes an excellent, irresistible coffee.

Coffee Filter And Dabara

South Indian Coffee Filter

The coffee filter used to make this South Indian-style filter coffee is unique. It can be found in most utensil shops in India, online, or at any Indian grocery store near you.

Depending on your home use, you can buy a small, medium, or large coffee filter.

This filter comes in 4 parts. The lower container is where the decoction (brewed coffee) collects.

The upper cup has perforations and fits on top of the lower container.

There is an umbrella or plunger to press the ground coffee and a lid to cover the filter.

This filter comes in various sizes and materials. I use a small brass coffee filter (250 ml) to make three cups of coffee at a time, but you can use a larger filter and brew more decoction. You can also choose a steel filter, which is cheaper and easy to maintain.

Tumbler and Dabara

Filter kapi is traditionally served in a tumbler that sits on a dabara (bowl-like container). These two things come as a set and can be made up of brass or steel.

The ready coffee is poured from the tumbler to the davara and vice versa from a distance, and this process creates a frothy layer on top of the kapi, making it unique.

If you don’t have this set, please serve the coffee in regular coffee mugs.

Ingredients

Ground Coffee

To make the best Filter Coffee, source ground coffee from an Indian grocery store.

They sell special brands of coffee grounds that give a very traditional South Indian taste. My favorite brands are Cothas and Kalmane Coffee.

Some specialty coffee shops in India grind coffee beans for you. If you have access to that, go for it.

If you drink coffee regularly, consider investing in a coffee grinder. There is nothing like freshly ground coffee.

Note – Remember that instant coffee powder will not work in this recipe.

Note – Try to get finely ground coffee powder. If the coffee is ground coarsely, you will get a thin decoction.

Some filter coffee powder comes with added chicory.

Chicory blend coffee is much more economical than pure ground coffee. It also has less caffeine than 100% coffee, so it’s healthier.

I have seen many coffee purists for whom chicory root is a big no. But then, it’s all an individual choice. I suggest you try both options and see what suits you the best.

The coffee powder should not be too old. Check the date before buying it. We are looking at a shelf life of 30-60 days.

Milk

Traditionally, this coffee is made using cow’s full-fat milk (whole milk), but you can use skim or low-fat milk to make it healthier.

You can skip dairy milk and use plant-based options like coconut, soy, or almond milk to make it vegan.

The milk should be scalding (boiling) to make frothy coffee.

Sugar

Adjust the quantity according to your taste. You can make it sugarless or use sugar-free substitutes like stevia or monk fruit.

Jaggery can also be added to sweeten the coffee.

How To Make South Indian Filter Coffee

Set Up The Filter

Start by cleaning a 250-ml filter nicely. Previous coffee should not have blocked the pores in the upper cup.

Fix the upper cup of the filter over the lower container.

Upper compartment of filter coffee filter set over the lower compartment.

Make The Decoction

Add coffee powder to the top compartment of the filter and spread it evenly using your fingers or a spoon.

4 tablespoon for strong coffee
3 tablespoon for medium
2 tablespoon for light

Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of granulated sugar over the coffee. This step adds a slight caramelization.

Sugar sprinkled over ground coffee in the filter.

Press the coffee powder gently with the plunger (umbrella-shaped attachment). Do not press too hard; otherwise, the coffee powder falls from the pores to the lower container.

Top with ¾ cup warm water (not boiling water) until the filter is almost full.

Cover with the lid and keep the filter on the counter to let the coffee percolate.

It will take 3-4 hours for the coffee to percolate nicely and create a thick, strong decoction. You can also use the decoction after 15-20 minutes, but it will not be very thick.

Discard the leftover coffee, or use it to make another batch.

Make The Filter Coffee

Add 2 tablespoon of decoction to a tumbler.

Top with boiling milk. Add sugar to your taste to the tumbler.

How To Drink Filter Coffee

Typically, filter coffee is served in a brass or stainless steel tumbler and dabarah (container/cup) to cool it.

Using your fingers carefully, lift the tumbler by the rim. The coffee will now be piping hot.

Pour the hot coffee into the davara from the tumbler from a little distance. This process cools down the coffee and forms a nice froth on top.

Now, pour the coffee from the container back into the tumbler from a bit of height.

Repeat this process a few times until the coffee has reached the perfect sipping temperature. Serve it in the tumbler setting on the davarah.

Note – If uncomfortable, skip the pulling process and mix the sugar using a spoon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to make a thick decoction?

You must remember two things to make a nice and thick coffee decoction.
The coffee should be finely ground.
The time of filtering should be more (3-4 hours).

Can I reuse the coffee powder to make a decoction?

You can use the same coffee powder twice to make the second decoction. However, the second decoction will be milder. Increase its quantity while making the coffee.

How can I make South Indian style filter coffee without a filter?

Add ground coffee to a pan and top with hot water. Cover and set aside for 2 minutes. Remove the cover and stir the mixture. Cover again and let it rest for 10 minutes. Now strain the mixture using a fine tea strainer and discard the leftover coffee. Your coffee decoction without the filter is ready.

You can also use a paper filter or an espresso machine to brew the coffee.

Pro Tips By Neha

DO NOT use instant coffee powder to brew filter coffee.

For the best result, keep a close watch on water temperature, brewing time, brewing process, grind size, etc.

It is best to brew the decoction from the previous night and make coffee in the morning.

You can make a big batch of decoction, refrigerate it for 3-4 days, and use it as and when required.

Adjust the amount of coffee decoction and milk, depending on how strong coffee you want.

You can use jaggery instead of sugar as a healthy alternative.

If using a colder decoction, heat it until warm. Do not boil it; otherwise, it will turn bitter. Then mix with hot milk and serve.

Although iced filter coffee is not traditional, you can add some ice cubes and make yourself an iced cold coffee.

South Indian filter coffee served in a traditional tumbler.

Indian Breakfast

Vegetable Rava Upma (Sooji Upma)

Rice

Ven Pongal (Khara Pongal, Ghee Pongal)

Chutneys

Coconut Chutney (Nariyal Chutney)

South Indian filter coffee is a traditional Indian-style coffee made using a special filter. A coffee decoction is mixed with hot milk and sugar to create a perfect cuppa. Make it using my traditional recipe.

5 from 7 votes