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Mırra
Bitter cardamom coffee
Mırra: the intensely bitter, cardamom-scented coffee of Urfa and Mardin, served in tiny handleless cups
In the courtyard houses of Mardin and the guest rooms of Şanlıurfa, mırra is poured from a long-spouted pot into tiny handleless cups, just a mouthful each, as a sign of welcome. It is made by boiling dark-roasted coffee for a long time until it becomes thick, bitter and concentrated, then boiling it again and again. Tradition says you never put the cup down empty unless you mean to marry the host's family, so hand it back with a small shake. It is never sweetened: serve it with dates or a sweet. Common mistake: using finely ground Turkish coffee; it turns muddy, so use medium-ground dark roast. Chef's tip: the second boil is where the flavour comes from, so don't rush it.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ⅞ oz dark-roast coffee beansmedium-coarsely ground
- 5 cups water
- 4 green cardamom podslightly crushed
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 5 cups water to the boil in a tall saucepan, stir in 2 ⅞ oz dark-roast coffee beans and turn the heat down so it simmers without boiling over.
Step 2: Simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until it has reduced by about half and is dark and strong.
40 minStep 3: Take off the heat and leave for 10 minutes for the grounds to settle, then pour off the clear coffee into a second pan, leaving the grounds behind.
10 minStep 4: Add 4 green cardamom pods and simmer again for 10 minutes, until slightly syrupy.
10 minStep 5: Strain through a fine sieve. Serve hot, a few sips at a time, in small cups; it keeps in a bottle in the fridge for a week and is reheated as needed.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 5 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mırra take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of green cardamom pods?
- A pinch of ground cardamom per 2 pods.
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