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 Adallah, a traditional Arabic coffee pot, pictured with cups and unground coffee beans | |
| Alternative names | Qahwah arabiyya |
|---|---|
| Type | Coffea arabica |
| Course | Drink |
| Place of origin | Mokha |
| Region or state | Yemen |
| Associatedcuisine | Arab cuisine |
| Invented | 15th century |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | ground coffee andwater |
| Ingredients generally used | cardamom |
| Similar dishes | Turkish coffee,buna,qishr |
Arabic coffee, known in Arabic asqahwa (Arabic:قهوة), is a version of thebrewed coffee ofCoffea arabica beans. MostArab countries throughout theMiddle East developed distinct methods forbrewing and preparingcoffee.Cardamom[1] is an often-added spice,[2] but it can also be served plain or withsugar.
Arabic coffee is bitter and usually served without sugar. It is typically brewed in adallah orcezve, and served in a small cup decorated with a pattern, known as afinjān. Culturally, Arabic coffee is served during family gatherings or when receiving guests, with its preparation reflecting local customs.
In regions influenced by theOttoman Empire, such as theLevant, Arabic coffee often shares techniques and traditions withTurkish coffee, which likely developed from these Levantine practices. In contrast, in other regions, such as thePersian Gulf, Arabic coffee traditions typically show fewer similarities to Turkish coffee.
Arabic coffee originated inGreater Yemen, beginning in the port city ofMokha inYemen[3] and eventually travelling toMecca inHejaz,Egypt, theLevant, and then, in the mid-16th century, toTurkey and from there to Europe[4] where coffee eventually became popular as well.[5] Arabic coffee is anIntangible Cultural Heritage ofArab states confirmed byUNESCO.[6] Every year on 3 March,Yemenis celebrate the "Yemeni Coffee Day," a national festival to encourage coffee cultivation.[7]
The wordcoffee entered the English language in 1582 via the Dutchkoffie,[8] borrowed from theOttoman Turkishkahve, in turn borrowed from theArabic قَهْوَة (qahwa,'coffee, a brew').[9] The wordqahwah may have originally referred to the drink's reputation as an appetite suppressant from the wordqahiya (Arabic:قَهِيَ,romanized: qahiya,lit. 'to lack hunger').[10][11] The nameqahwah is not used for the berry or plant (the products of the region), which are known in Arabic asbunn. Semitic had a rootqhh'dark color', which became a natural designation for the beverage. According to this analysis, the feminine formqahwah (also meaning'dark in color, dull(ing), dry, sour') also had the meaning of wine, which was also often dark in color.[10]
The earliest credible evidence of coffee drinking appears in the middle of the 15th century (but believed to be much earlier) fromYemen as coffee was in use in Yemen'sSufi monasteries.[5] Sufis used it to keep themselves alert during their nighttime devotions. A translation ofAl-Jaziri's manuscript[12] traces the spread of coffee fromArabia Felix (the present day Yemen) northward toMecca andMedina, and then to the larger cities ofCairo,Damascus,Baghdad, andConstantinople. In 1511, it was forbidden for its stimulating effect by conservative, orthodox imams at a theological court inMecca.[13] However, these bans were to be overturned in 1524 by an order of theOttoman Turkish SultanSuleiman I, withGrand MuftiMehmet Ebussuud el-İmadi issuing afatwa allowing the consumption of coffee.[14] InCairo, Egypt, a similar ban was instituted in 1532, and thecoffeehouses and warehouses containing coffee beans were sacked.[15]
Arabic coffee is made from lightly to heavily roasted Arabica beans (165 to 210 °C (329 to 410 °F)) mixed with cardamom, and sometimes flavored with cloves or saffron.[16] It is a traditional beverage in Arab culture and is usually prepared at home or for special occasions. The beans are roasted, ground, brewed, and served in front of guests.[17][18]
The coffee is boiled but not filtered, producing a strong, concentrated drink. It is generally unsweetened (qahwah saada), though sugar may be added during preparation or serving. To balance the bitterness, it is often accompanied by dates, dried or candied fruit, nuts, or other sweets.[19]
Arabic coffee is served in small, handleless cups calledfinjān.
In theArabian Peninsula, Arabic coffee is typically brewed and served from a pot called a"dallah". It is almost always accompanied by dates and offered as a gesture of hospitality. In restaurants, it may be served by waiters calledqahwaji.
Light roasting is common inSaudi Arabia, especially in theNajd andHejaz regions, giving the coffee a golden or blonde color.Spices such as saffron, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon may be added, with cardamom being the most essential.
In North Arabia, a darker variation known asqahwah shamāliyya (literally "Northern coffee") is prepared by roasting the beans for a longer time.[20][21]
InYemen, Arabic coffee is often brewed with the addition of local spice blends calledhawaij.
In theLevant, Arabic coffee is closely related toTurkish coffee, but typically flavored withcardamom. It is usually prepared in a long-handled pot known as a''rakwa''. It uses dark-roasted or a blend of light and dark coffee beans, ground to a fine powder.[22][23]
The level of sweetness is reflected in the terminology used: unsweetened ("sada"), moderately sweetened ("mazbout"), or sweet ("hilwe").
Serving coffee is often ceremonial. The host, or the eldest son, moves clockwise among guests, pouring coffee according to age and status. It is polite to accept three cups, with the last cup traditionally concluded by saying daymen (“always”), wishing the host continued means to serve coffee.[24]
A special type of coffee calledqahwa murra ("bitter coffee") is commonly served amongBedouin communities, and many other Arabs in the Levant on special occasions. It is brewed for up to several hours using coarsely ground coffee beans and whole cardamom seeds, sometimes with the addition of a fermented coffee starter calledkhamira ("yeast"), and is always served unsweetened.
InJordan, black, cardamom-flavoredqahwah sādah (often called “welcome coffee”) remains a traditional sign of respect and an important part of hospitality. Serving coffee is central to Jordanian social life and is a customary way to honor guests.[25]
The national drink ofMorocco isgunpowder green tea brewed with fresh mint and espresso is very popular, but Arabic coffee is also widely consumed, especially on formal occasions. It is often made with the purpose of conducting a business deal and welcoming someone into one's home for the first time, and frequently served at weddings and on important occasions.
Much of the popularization of coffee is due to its cultivation in the Arab world, beginning in what is now Yemen, by Sufi monks in the 15th century.[26] Through thousands of Arabs pilgrimaging toMecca, the enjoyment and harvesting of coffee, or the "wine of Araby" spread to other Arab countries (e.g. Egypt,Syria) and eventually to a majority of the world through the 16th century.
Coffee, in addition to being essential in the home, became a major part of social life.[27] Coffeehouses, qahwa قَهوة inModern Standard Arabic, became "Schools of the Wise" as they developed into places of intellectual discussion, in addition to centers of relaxation and comradery.[28]
Coffeehouse culture began in theArab world, and eventually spread to other areas of the world and blended with the local culture.[29] Traditional Arab coffeehouses are places where mostly mens meet to socialize over games, coffee, and water pipes (shisha or argille). Depending on where the coffeehouse is, its specialty differs. InMaghreb, green tea is served with mint or coffee is served Arab and/or European style. Arabic coffee, or Turkish coffee, is made inEgypt and theLevant countries. Arabic coffee is a very small amount of dark coffee boiled in a pot and presented in ademitasse cup. Particularly in Egypt, coffee is served mazbuuta, which means the amount of sugar will be "just right", about one teaspoon per cup. However, in theArabian Peninsula, Arabic coffee is roasted in such a way that the coffee is almost clear. In all of the Arab world, it is traditional for the host to refill the guest's cup until politely signaled that the guest is finished.[27]
Arabic coffee is usually served just a fewcentiliters at a time.[16] Arabic coffee is served following formal etiquette for the host, the visitor, and the server. The server is required to hold the Dallah with the palm of his right hand positioned at the top, while using the left hand to hold the cup. In accordance with guest etiquette, the cup should be received and returned to the server by using the right hand. Priority is given to the oldest or most significant guest.[30] The guest drinks it and if he wishes, he will gesture to the waiter not to pour any more. Otherwise, the host/waiter will continue to serve another few centilitres at a time until the guest indicates he has had enough. The most common practice is to drink only one cup since serving coffee serves as a ceremonial act of kindness and hospitality. Sometimes people also drink larger volumes during conversations.[31]
The cups are normally only filled partway, and the habit is to drink three cups.[32] Arabic coffee has a prominent place in traditionalArab holidays and special events such asRamadan andEid.
Arabic coffee reading (Arabic:قراءة الفنجان,romanized: qirāʾat al-finjān), is similar to tea-leaf reading; the client is asked to consume strong fresh Arabic coffee leaving approximately a teaspoon of liquid in the cup. The cup is then inverted onto a saucer to allowing the residual liquid to drain away and dry up. The reader will then interpret the patterns formed by the thick residue on the inside of the cup looking for symbols and letters.[33][34]
Arabicfunerals gather families and extended relatives, who drink bitter and unsweetened coffee and recount the life and characteristics of the deceased. The men and women gather separately, and it has become very fashionable to employ very presentable women whose only job is to serve coffee all day to the women. Male waiters serve the men.Arab Muslims andChristians share this tradition.[35]
In its plain form, Arabic coffee is known as a low-calorie beverage with minimal macronutrient content. A small cup of Arabic coffee has almost no calories or fat.[36][37]
The exact nutritional values may vary depending on the roast level, brewing method, and whether additives such as sugar or milk are included.
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[All] the coffee-houses [were] closed, and their keepers pelted with the sherds of their pots and cups. This was in 1524, but by an order of Selìm I., the decrees of the learned were reversed, the disturbances in Egypt quieted, the drinking of coffee declared perfectly orthodox References
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