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–+ servings

Armenian Coffee (Soorj)

Armenian coffee is an acquired taste that when properly made, takes time and all of your attention. The result is definitely worthwhile.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • You'll need an Armenian coffee pot (available in Middle Eastern stores) or a small saucepan
  • Armenian coffee cups (or demitasse cups)

Ingredients
  

  • Coffee (ground super fine)
  • Water
  • Sugar (optional)
  • Cardamom (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Set the empty cups on a serving tray near the stove and place one cardamom pod or seed in each.
  • Pour one cup of cold water in the pot for each cup of coffee.
  • Add one generous teaspoon of coffee for each cup of water and stir thoroughly. (I like to add an extra spoon of coffee, but adjust to your taste.)
  • Add one level teaspoon of sugar for each cup of water and stir again.
  • Turn the heat on high.
  • Keep an eye on the pot. In this case, a watched pot definitely WILL boil -- but an unwatched pot will boil over. Either way, you've ruined the coffee.
  • Critical point: The coffee mixture will begin to foam when it heats. As it's about to boil, the foam will start to rise to the top of the pot. Take the pot off the heat. DO NOT let the coffee boil.
  • Stir the coffee and place it back on the heat. Repeat at least once more.
  • When the foam rises a third time, the coffee's ready.
  • Pour a little coffee into each cup and continue until they're all full. (Don't fill one cup at a time or there may not be enough foam to go around.) Leave enough room at the top to add some of the foam. If the foam has dissipated before you're done, put the coffee back on the heat JUST until it foams again.

Video

Notes

Important! Do not substitute espresso. It won't taste right.
Never add milk when serving -- but, for a rich variation, substitute cold milk for cold water for all or part of the recipe.
Don't be alarmed if the bottom of your cup has a thick, muddy coating. That's normal. When you're done with the drinkable part, try turning the cup upside down (in a saucer, of course) and let the sludge coat the sides.
In the Old Country, the wise old women could tell fortunes by "reading" the resulting patterns. If your fortune says you're entitled to another cup, just heat the remaining coffee.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!