South Indian filter coffee
Vegetarian
ஃபில்டர் காபி · filṭar kāpi
A thick coffee-chicory decoction dripped slowly through a two-tier metal filter, sweetened and topped with hot milk, then poured between tumbler and davara until frothy.
South Indian filter coffee is an Indian hot drink, ready in about 23 minutes and made with finely ground coffee and milk. It serves 2 and is rated easy to cook.
No licensed photograph of this dish yet.
- Prep
- 3 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Rest
- 15 min
- Total
- 23 min
- Serves
- 2
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 138
Method
Step 1
Spoon the coffee powder (opens in a new tab) into the perforated upper cup of a South Indian coffee filter (opens in a new tab) and set the pressing disc lightly on top; do not pack it hard.
- 1 min
Step 2
Pour the just-boiled water over the disc, cover with the lid and leave the decoction to drip into the lower chamber undisturbed for 12–15 minutes.
The first decoction is the strongest; some households add a little more water for a weaker second drip.
Step 3
Shortly before the decoction is ready, bring the milk (opens in a new tab) to the boil in a saucepan (opens in a new tab) and let it rise once.
- 4 min
- medium heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
Step 4
Put the sugar (opens in a new tab) into each tumbler, add 40–50 ml decoction and fill with hot milk (opens in a new tab) (roughly one part decoction to three of milk).
- 1 min
Step 5
Pour the coffee back and forth between the tumbler and its davara (or two cups) from a height a few times to dissolve the sugar (opens in a new tab) and build froth. Serve at once.
- 1 min
Food safety: Hold the hot tumbler by its rim and pour over the sink until you are practised.
How it looks · Photo: Willians Huerta on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, India · Commonly attributedThe everyday coffee of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh households and darshinis.More food from India
- Dish
- Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
- Cooking method
- Boiled
- Taste
- bitter, creamy, aromatic / warmly spiced, sweet
- Diet
- Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients · Low-carbWith the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium - Good for
- Everyday
- Cook more with
- Finely ground coffee · Milk · Sugar
- Techniques
- Boiling · Fermentation
Allergens
- Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
138 kcal per serving
Estimated1 serving ≈ 205 g · recipe makes 2
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 15%
- Carbohydrate 58%
- Fat 27%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 138 kcal | 67 kcal |
| Protein | 5.3 g | 2.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20 g | 9.8 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 20 g | 9.8 g |
| Sugars | 12.8 g | 6.2 g |
| Added sugars | 6.3 g | 3.1 g |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fat | 4.2 g | 2.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.4 g | 1.2 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 13 mg | 6 mg |
| Sodium | 60 mg | 29 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 0.2 g | 0.1 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 524 mg
- Calcium
- 166 mg
- Iron
- 0.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 47 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 59 µg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.7 µg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.6 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 6 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- Finely ground coffee: Instant coffee powder used as a stand-in for the soluble part of roasted ground coffee; list the grams actually consumed with consumedGrams.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Store leftover decoction in the fridge and use within a day; reheat only the milk.
- A drip-style coffee maker is a fair stand-in if you have no filter: brew very strong, about 1 part coffee to 6 parts water.
Common mistakes
- Tamping the powder hard, which blocks the drip.
- Boiling the decoction, which turns it harsh.
Serve with
- Serve with idli, dosa or a plate of murukku.
Storage
- The decoction keeps 1 day in a covered jar in the fridge; mix each tumbler fresh with just-boiled milk.
Variations
- Kumbakonam degree coffee (India): Made with pure, thick milk and a strong first decoction; named after the town in Tamil Nadu.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.
Customise in Sip & BlendReviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
You might also like
Irani chai
Indian · 27 min · 162 kcal · Vegetarian
Sulaimani chai
Indian · 9 min · 22 kcal · Vegan
Jigarthanda
Indian · 9 h 35 min · 467 kcal · Vegetarian
Curd rice
South Indian · 35 min · 300 kcal · Vegetarian