Turkish or Arabic coffee is best made in small quantities in the traditional long-handled pot called a ‘rakweh’, but a very small saucepan will just about do. The whole process is extremely simple, but like so many things, tends to be shrouded in mystique, everyone having their own particular method for making plenty of the desirable golden froth. Each family, too, tends to have its own little traditions and rituals – the Maloufs, for instance, favour tapping the side of the pot with a spoon at various points of the procedure. Nobody quite knows why – it’s just something they do.
Various aromatics may be used to flavour the coffee. The Lebanese and Syrians like to add a few cracked cardamom pods, or a pinch of ground cardamom to the pot. In the Gulf states they add splash of rosewater, or occasionally even saffron. In North Africa they enjoy cinnamon and sometimes coriander seeds, while in Yemen they favour ginger and cloves.