Traditional Brewing Methods

Traditional Arabic coffee brewing is a multi-step process that, in its full ceremonial form, starts with raw green coffee beans rather than pre-roasted grounds. Beans are roasted over an open flame or on a stovetop in a shallow long-handled pan, stirred continuously to reach an even, typically light-to-medium color, then cooled briefly before grinding — historically by hand with a mortar and pestle, though electric grinders are common today. The ground coffee is added to water in the dallah along with crushed cardamom (and, depending on the household, saffron or cloves) and brought to a slow simmer rather than a hard boil, which would make the coffee bitter and disturb the fine sediment. Some methods bring the pot just to the point of foaming at the rim several times, removing it from the heat each time, before letting it settle. Once brewed, the coffee is typically left to steep briefly so the grounds settle toward the bottom, allowing it to be poured cleanly through the dallah's narrow spout without needing a separate filter. The pot is then kept warm — traditionally over hot coals — so it can be poured continuously throughout a visit rather than brewed fresh cup by cup.