Every South Indian filter coffee lover knows that chicory forms an integral part of a good filter coffee brew. How did this ingredient become a part of our favourite cuppa? Let us find out.
What is Chicory?
Chicory is a flowering plant and is actually quite a beauty to look at. It produces light-blue colored flowers and its leaves look like a shrub. It grows to a medium height. However, what is of interest to coffee-lovers actually lies below the ground. The root of this plant is what is used in coffee brews.
The root is ground and roasted to be brewed along with the coffee powder. This is prevalent not only in case of the South Indian filter coffee but in many other places in the world as well.
How did Chicory Become a Part of your Cuppa?
Chicory leaves have been part of salads and other dishes in world cuisine. However, the use of chicory in coffee brews is an interesting concept.
The exact origin of the practice of mixing chicory with coffee is not well documented. The addition of chicory is said to have been related to the fact that coffee is not locally available to a lot of countries and thus there has been instances of coffee scarcity in many places of the world due to strained relations with other countries or simply logistic difficulties. This made the price of coffee rise. As it became more expensive, additives that could be added to coffee were searched. This led to the practice of adding chicory that could pump up the coffee volume in a cup. Chicory has a similar flavour to coffee and is thus a great way to stretch limited coffee supplies.
It is also said that Napolean’s Continental Blockade in France led to serious coffee shortages in the country and this led to large scale mixing of chicory with limited coffee supplies. Even after the crisis ended, the practice was carried on, though not at such a large extent.
The Chicory Effect
- Taste
Roasted chicory root has a dark, deep flavour with bitter and sweet notes. Yes, you guessed it. It is similar in taste to coffee although it does not taste 100% like coffee. Chicory does not contain caffeine even though it tastes similar to coffee.
- Thickness
Roasted chicory powder is slightly thicker than coffee powder. This is one of the major plus-points of chicory when it is a part of filter coffee. The thicker chicory powder will make the hot water stay longer with the coffee grounds and hence aid in more absorption of coffee flavour into the decoction.
- · Quality
The quality of South Indian filter coffee decoction is definitely better when the powder has an addition of chicory powder. The resultant decoction is thicker, fuller and has more of flavour and color.
The Right Amount of Chicory
There are different rations of filter coffee powder and chicory that people of India prefer. Most popular ones are 70:30 or 60:40 ratios of coffee and chicory. Try out different blends to see which ratio suits your taste!
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