Dalgona coffee ~ Quarantine coffee

My feeds lately have been showing a lot of suggestions of this frothy tempting coffee gone viral called the Dalgona Coffee. I scroll through those feeds and wonder how till only a couple of weeks ago, I was planning for a wedding which I was supposed to attend this month. My only concerns in the world then were- my not-so-well-stitched-clothes and the lack of jewellery to compliment my saree. Never had I thought in my wildest dream then that in a few weeks’ time instead of attending the wedding and having a wonderful time with my family and friends, I would be quarantined at my home and trying ways to kill time by video calling the family and friends.

Due to Coronavirus, so much has changed around the world over this past couple of weeks. Although, so much is still the same every day – the same four walls of my room where I spend a substantial portion of my day, the same black Hitachi LCD which is always turned on and on mute because I am too tired to notice what is being telecast, the same laptop on my lap, the same television remote by my side, the same water bottle kept nearby and the same mobile phone kept by my side which I just checked for the hundredth time.

The whirring sound of my fan, the distant murmur of my neighbour’s television, my sweaty palms for holding my phone for too long and a mosquito who has somehow found it in my room- all of this just all of this collection are blasting mind. This also makes me realize that I am indeed quarantined.

I need something to soothe myself- something that will awaken all my numb senses and bring me to consciousness. Yes, there is a magic beverage that will do the job – COFFEE!!  And since this is not the regular time of the year so I don’t wish to have my regular coffee either, I would rather have my quarantine coffee ~ Dalgona Coffee. Yes, it the same new kind of coffee which we have been seeing all over the internet lately.  

Let us find out a little bit more about this ‘Viral internet coffee’ as it is called these days- where it originated, what are the ingredients required to make it and how it is made.

Origin of Dalgona Coffee

The coffee got its name from a Korean snack called Dalgona (pronounced Dai-go-Nah in Korean) which is sugar melted with fire.  In Korea, Dalgona means a sponge candy or like a foamed hardened sugar. It has a honeycombed taste to it and is a beloved candy in the streets of South Korea. The coffee is called Dalgona Coffee (Dalgona Keopi in Korean) because it resembles and tastes like the snack Dalgona. The coffee also has a honeycombed taste just like the snack.

Dalgona coffee or beaten or whipped coffee is common in lots of parts of the world. Although, it cannot be said with certainty, the drink is believed to have its origin in Macau as against the popular belief that it originated in Korea.

It is believed that the drink got its name in Macau where the South Korean Actor Jung II Woo after drinking it in a restaurant said that it tasted like dalgona- the snack.

Ingredients Required to Make Dalgona Coffee

The ingredients required to make Dalgona Coffee are found in almost every home and this is one of the reasons of its surging popularity.

(For 2 medium servings)

1. Instant Coffee- 2 tbsp
2. Sugar- 2 tbsp
3. Water- 2 tbsp
4. Milk- 120 ml (could be hot or cold)
5. Ice cubes- A few

How Dalgona Coffee is Made

Talking about how Dalgona Coffee is made, it is pretty simple and easy to make it- a few ingredients and some time and efforts. During such times when most of us looking for ways to do some workout, making Dalgona coffee is going to give such a good exercise to your hands. Let’s see how.

1. Take a large mixing bowl and pour equal measures of instant coffee, sugar and hot water.
2. With the help of a whisk, hand mixer or electric mixer (or even a spoon), mix the coffee, sugar and water properly.
3. Whisk the mixture
4. Whisk some more! (around 400 times)
5. Keep whisking the mixture till it turns lighter in colour and changes texture into a soft, foamy, creamy paste. 
6. Take a cup, put a few ice cubes into it and pour milk in the cup till 3/4^th of the cup is filled.
7. Top the remaining 1/4^th of the cup with the whipped coffee forming a few gentle spikes.
8. Mix it well and enjoy!

For Hot Coffee- In step 6, we do not need any ice cubes and need to put hot milk instead.

Dalgona Coffee is topped with a whipped coffee cream- it is all fluffy and creamy like a mousse. Although, the ingredients to make this drink are quite easily available and affordable, it takes some serious efforts to make this drink.

It is said that the mixture of instant coffee, sugar and hot water needs to whisked more than 400 times (which may feel like 4000 times if you are doing it with your hands) in order to get the thick, rich, creamy foam heaped on top it. 

Although, it cannot be denied that the richness of this crazy frothy coffee is so good that it is worth the efforts.  The velvety topping is something which makes it so unique and difficult to resist.

I think I have enough information now to get myself a large serving of this magical drink where a thick, velvety, glorious, frothy cream beautifully adorns the cup of milk like a crown. I can now sit alone by the window of my quiet empty room and enjoy this wonderful coffee which could not have gone viral at a better time.

It would be a crime to not have tried making this sensational coffee at least once during this quarantine. Have you tried it yet?