September 2026

How to Make South Indian Filter Coffee with a Brass Filter

There is filter coffee, and then there is filter coffee made in a proper brass filter and poured between a davara and tumbler until it froths. It takes a few minutes more than instant coffee, and it is worth every one of them.

What you need

• A South Indian coffee filter: two stacked cylinders, a pressing disc and a lid. Our brass coffee filter comes in four sizes, from 3–4 cups up to 8–10 cups.
• Filter coffee powder, usually a coffee–chicory blend (80:20 or 70:30 is common).
• Boiling water, full-cream milk and sugar.
• A davara and tumbler for serving, such as our brass davara tumbler set.

Step 1: Make the decoction

Put 2–3 heaped teaspoons of coffee powder per cup into the upper chamber. Place the pressing disc on top and press gently; don't pack it hard. Pour boiling water up to the brim, close the lid and leave it. The decoction drips slowly into the lower chamber and takes 15–20 minutes. Many families make it at night and use it in the morning.

Step 2: Heat the milk

Bring full-cream milk to a boil. Filter coffee is mostly milk, roughly one part decoction to three parts milk, so the milk makes a real difference to the taste.

Step 3: Mix and froth

Add decoction and sugar to the tumbler, then pour in the hot milk. Now pour the coffee from the tumbler into the davara from a height, and back again, three or four times. This cools the coffee to drinking temperature and gives it the famous froth on top.

Tips for a better cup

• The first decoction is the strongest. A second pour of water on the same powder gives a lighter decoction for a second round.
• Use freshly ground powder and store it airtight; stale coffee makes a flat decoction.
• Wash and dry the filter completely after each use so the holes don't clog.

If you want to gift the whole ritual, our coffee filter and dabara gift set and the larger filter and dabra set come with everything needed to make and serve it.