Damla Sakızlı Kahve (Turkish Coffee with Mastic)
دملا ساکزلی قہوہ (مستگی والی ترکی کافی)
Mastic, *damla sakızı* in Turkish, is a fragrant resin from a tree that grows on the Aegean island of Chios, just off the Turkish coast. Pakistanis know it as *rumi mastagi*, sold in tiny pieces by pansari shops for kulfi, firni and home remedies. In Turkey a pinch of ground mastic goes into Turkish coffee, giving it a fresh, piney, slightly sweet scent that's completely unlike any other coffee.
- ⏱ Total: 8 min
- Prep: 3 min
- Cook: 5 min
- Medium
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Grind the mastic with a pinch of the sugar in a mortar to a fine powder. The sugar stops the resin sticking.
Put the cold water, coffee, ground mastic and remaining sugar in a and stir once until mixed.
Heat on the lowest heat for 3–4 minutes until the foam rises. Lift off just before boiling, share the foam between the cups and pour in the coffee.
Let it settle for a minute and serve with a glass of water.
Kitchen notes
Use very little mastic. Too much tastes medicinal and bitter.
Freeze the mastic for 10 minutes before grinding; cold resin powders more easily.
Buy clear, pale yellow mastic pieces. Dark or dusty pieces are old.
An Aegean coffee
Mastic has been traded around the Mediterranean for centuries, and it’s still one of the treasured flavours of Turkish cooking: in milk puddings, in the famously stretchy dondurma ice cream, and in coffee. Coffee with mastic is especially popular around Izmir and the Aegean coast, close to where the resin is harvested.
Using mastic well
Mastic is strong and sticky. A tiny amount, two pieces the size of rice grains for two cups, is enough. Grinding it with a little sugar turns it into a powder that mixes easily into the coffee instead of gumming up the mortar. Chilling the pieces first makes grinding easier.
Finding it in Pakistan
Look for rumi mastagi at any pansari or spice shop. It’s sold in small amounts because it’s expensive, but a little lasts a long time. Store it in a small airtight jar.
Serving
Serve in small cups with water, after a meal or with guests. If you enjoy it, try a pinch of mastic in sütlaç or kheer too.
Questions people ask
Is rumi mastagi the same as damla sakızı?
Yes. Both are the resin of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus).
What else is mastic used for?
In Turkey, for puddings, ice cream (dondurma) and Turkish delight; in Pakistan, for kulfi, firni and some sweets.
Can I add it to milky coffee?
Yes. Mastic works well in [sütlü Türk kahvesi](/drinks/sutlu-turk-kahvesi/) too.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 25
- Protein
- 0 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
