Cardamom Coffee Concentrate
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| medium-fine ground coffee (medium roast) | 15 g |
| green cardamom pods, crushed | 2 pods |
| water, just off the boil | 150 ml |
Equipment: French press, moka pot or pour-over, fine sieve or paper filter, scale, jar with lid.
About this preparation
Long before tea, Iran had coffee. Persian qahvehkhaneh, coffeehouses, were famous gathering places for storytellers and poets, and the word lives on even though they now serve tea. Two coffee traditions survive with special character:
- In Yazd, Yazdi coffee is brewed with cardamom and a touch of rose water, sometimes sweetened with nabat.
- In Arab Khuzestan, guests are welcomed with gahwa, a light, cardamom-scented coffee poured into tiny cups and served with dates.
This strong, cardamom-scented coffee is the base for both of the book’s coffee drinks. Rose water is added in the glass for Yazd; dates join it for Karun Nights.
How to make it
- Put the coffee and crushed cardamom in a French press (or moka pot basket).
- Pour over the hot water, stir once, and steep for 4 minutes.
- Press, then pour through a paper filter for a clean concentrate.
- Cool quickly, then refrigerate until cold (about 30 minutes).
- Label with the date.
Yield and storage
- Makes about 130 ml.
- Refrigerate and use within 2 days (provisional). Coffee loses aroma fast.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Espresso works too: a double shot (about 60 ml) with a pinch of ground cardamom stirred in is a quick substitute.
- Too bitter: use a lighter roast or shorten the steep.
- Weak in the drink: increase coffee to 18 g.
- Shaken drinks foam better with freshly brewed, cooled coffee.
Different concepts of this preparation
1. Cardamom coffee concentrate
The recipe above. The house standard for both drinks.
2. Yazdi-style
Add 2–3 drops of culinary rose water per 30 ml when serving. Rose and cardamom, the signature of Yazd.
3. Gahwa-style
Use a light roast, 3 cardamom pods and a small pinch of saffron. Golden-brown, fragrant and gentle, as served in Khuzestan.
4. Cold brew
Steep 30 g coarse coffee and 3 crushed cardamom pods in 250 ml cold water in the refrigerator for 12–16 hours, then filter. Smooth and low in bitterness; keeps up to a week.
Allergen note
No common allergens. Contains caffeine.
Development notes
- Status: draft, not yet taste-tested.
- Test French press versus espresso versus cold brew in Yazd Windcatcher.