Summer special: Try these refreshing Cold Brew recipes by Pooja Baid at home

It's already mid-May, and while we may not feel the brunt of the scorching sun just as yet, thanks to the lockdown, soaring temperatures are making us sluggish and dehydrated. With health experts continually suggesting increased fluid intake, what's better than rejuvenating with some great cold brews? The good news is that we can make café-style cold brew at home without any specialised tools and little effort. And who best to teach us than Chef and entrepreneur Pooja Baid, who runs Drumroll, the city’s first bespoke coffee roastery?

“Cold brews or iced coffee is not the same as an iced latte or instant cold coffee. It’s a brewing method that involves steeping coffee grounds in cold water for a long duration — making it sweeter and smoother because coffee grounds aren’t exposed to high temperatures that extract oils and acids,” says Pooja. Cold brews are also better than your regular cuppas since they are way less acidic and less bitter and can be bottled up and stored for up to two weeks. Here are two amazing recipes: The Classic Cold Brew and a Citrus Cold Brew.

Cold Brew Concentrate

There are several ways of making cold brew. Here is a simple method of making a concentrate that can last for a couple of weeks in the refrigerator

Ingredients: 1 cup Coffee beans (coarse ground) | 5 cups water (room temperature)

Method:

● Coarse ground coffee is easily available with most roasters and is necessary for cold brew extraction. Add coffee grounds to a mason jar and use the same cup to measure the water.

● Pour water over the coffee and gently stir it to make sure all the coffee gets wet.

● Cover and steep the coffee for 12-14 hours in the refrigerator.

● Line a fine-mesh strainer with a muslin cloth and slowly strain the coffee. It might take some time for it to drain but don’t squeeze or press it

● Transfer the extracted coffee in an airtight bottle and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks

● Once you have a cold brew concentrate it can be used in a jiffy to make the classic cold brew or exciting variations within minutes.

Cold Brew

Ingredients: 60 ml Cold Brew concentrate | 60 ml chilled water/milk | 3-4 ice cubes | 1 tsp ground sugar (optional)

Method: Add ice cubes to a tall glass and pour the cold brew concentrate. Since it is less acidic and bitter, I prefer adding cold water to enjoy the sweetness and smooth finish. But, you can also use cold milk and ground sugar if needed. An easy twist is to set the cold brew concentrate on an ice tray and use it directly with milk or chilled water for a stronger cold coffee

Orange Cold Brew

Ingredients: 60 ml Cold Brew concentrate | 60 ml orange juice | Orange Zest | Fresh ginger slice | 1 tsp honey | 3-4 ice cubes

Method

● In a glass add crushed ginger, orange juice, honey and mix it well.

● Pour it over ice cubes and add the cold brew concentrate.

● For a nice refreshing aftertaste, grate some orange rinds on top.

sharmishtha.g@newindianexpress.com

@sharmidas