Ingredients
Brew
- 60 gqishr, dried coffee husks
- 1 litrewater
Spice
- 4cm ginger, crushed
- 1 tspground cinnamon, or 1 stick
- 4cardamom pods, crushed
- 2cloves, optional
To sweeten
- sugar, to taste
To serve
- small glasses
- dates
Directions
- Crush the ginger rather than slicing it, which releases far more.
- Crush the cardamom pods and the cinnamon stick as well. Now toast the husks briefly in a dry pan over a medium heat, for 2 or 3 minutes, until they smell fragrant.
- Bring the water to a boil with the ginger and the whole spices. Boil the ginger and spices first, before the husks go in, and give them a few minutes on their own. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Simmer rather than boiling hard, which draws out a papery bitterness from the husks. The liquid should turn a deep reddish amber.
- Add sugar generously and stir until dissolved. Let it stand off the heat for 2 minutes so the husks settle.
- Strain it through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug or a thermos. Strain it well, because the husk fragments are papery and unpleasant in the cup.
- Serve it hot in small glasses. It is also drunk in the evening precisely because it has so little caffeine, where coffee would not do.
Technique
- Cascara is now sold by speciality coffee roasters and is exactly the same product.
- Ginger is the fixed spice and cinnamon and cardamom vary by household.
- It keeps a day in a thermos and is often made in quantity.
Substitutions
- Cascara from a coffee roaster.
- Ground ginger at a pinch, though fresh is far better.
Variations
- With more ginger, which is the Sana’a preference.
- With cardamom alone.
- Made with milk, which is unusual but done.
History
Drink brewed from coffee husks with ginger, drunk because the beans themselves were worth more exported.
Frequently asked questions
What is Qishr?
Qishr is a drink from Yemen: spiced coffee-husk infusion with ginger; homeland of coffee. Drink brewed from coffee husks with ginger, drunk because the beans themselves were worth more exported.
How long does Qishr take to make?
Qishr takes 5 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 cups. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Qishr?
Yes, within limits. Cascara from a coffee roaster. Ground ginger at a pinch, though fresh is far better.
What is the most important thing to get right in Qishr?
Crush the ginger rather than slicing it, which releases far more.
