Decoction

Scene. ABC Kalyana Mandapam. The hall is filled with the fragrance of jasmine as mamis in pattu sarees decked in impeccable jewellery hurry about with their assigned duties. A rather passive group of mamas saunters down the corridor leading to the faded red plastic chairs facing the Homa Kundam, presumably sharing some insights on the ponnu-aatthukkaaraa. Just then, an affable ambi enters the scene with veshti folded up and a questionable towel draped on his shoulder. Suddenly, the aforementioned mamis and mamas abandon their tasks on hand and look at ambi with deep admiration. “Kaapi vandhachu”, he announces with a twinkle in his eye. He sets down a large kuzhaay vaccha drum along with some tumblers on a plastic table and disappears.

Ah... filter kaapi...

Filter kaapi drinkers are a finicky peoples. One drinker’s kaapi is never good enough for another. And for good reason. Think about how many variables there are! First the decoction; how much kaapi podi to put, does the water have to be brought to a rolling boil or bubbling hot, how much water to pour over the podi etc. Then there’s the mixing; how much decoction, how much milk, how much sugar, temperature of the milk, to froth or not to froth, etc. Then there’s the kaapi podi itself; how much to roast the beans, how fine to powder them, how much chicory to add, etc.

To be honest, I have tried tweaking almost all of these variables, but my kaapi still doesn’t taste like that ABC Kalyana Mandapam ambi’s kaapi...