Bnew – Kini

Coffee Brew – Kini

Brew – Kini

Express Shi

Cold Brew

Rinse the short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear (about 2–3 minutes). Drain. Combine rinsed rice, 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Rinse and cook rice

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken pieces with minced garlic, grated ginger, ground coriander, ground cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat evenly and let sit 10 minutes to absorb flavors.

Season the chicken

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, add the seasoned chicken in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and sear 3–4 minutes per side until golden-brown but not fully cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.

Brown the chicken

In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the sliced onion and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5–6 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to deepen flavor.

Sweat the aromatics

Add the drained diced tomatoes, chicken stock, lemon juice, honey, and harissa (if using). Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Build the sauce

Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 8–10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F / 74°C) and the sauce has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, or honey as needed.

Finish cooking chicken in sauce

Spoon the cooked rice onto warm plates or a serving platter. Top the rice with a generous portion of the chicken and vegetable sauce. Dollop 1–2 tablespoons of plain yogurt or labneh alongside or on top of the chicken. Drizzle a teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the dish, sprinkle with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.

Assemble and serve

Serve immediately while hot. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

short-grain white rice (or sushi rice)

water (for cooking rice)

olive oil

kosher salt

boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

garlic cloves, minced

ginger, peeled and finely grated

ground coriander

ground cumin

smoked paprika

turmeric

black pepper

salt

yellow onion, thinly sliced

red bell pepper, thinly sliced

tomato paste

canned diced tomatoes, drained

chicken stock (or water)

lemon juice

honey

harissa (or chili paste), optional for heat

fresh cilantro, chopped

plain yogurt or labneh

toasted sesame seeds

extra-virgin olive oil

lemon wedges

Weigh 60 g of whole coffee beans. Measure 1,000 ml of filtered water for brewing and set aside. Also measure ~200 ml filtered water for preheating and rinsing the filter/equipment.

Measure beans and water

Heat the kettle to 93°C (199°F). If you don't have a thermometer, bring to a boil and let sit 30 seconds to 45 seconds depending on altitude.

Heat water

Grind the 60 g of coffee to a medium-coarse grind for pour-over (similar to sea salt). If using immersion (French press), grind slightly coarser. Aim for consistent particle size with a burr grinder.

Grind beans

Place the paper filter in the dripper (or insert metal filter). Rinse the paper filter thoroughly with the 200 ml of hot water to remove paper flavor and preheat the dripper and carafe. Discard rinse water.

Set up filter and preheat

Place the dripper on the carafe or cup and add the ground coffee. Gently level the bed. Tare the scale so it reads zero with dripper and coffee in place.

Add coffee and tare

Start the timer and pour 120 ml of water evenly over the grounds (twice the weight of the coffee). Ensure all grounds are saturated. Let bloom for 30–45 seconds to allow CO2 to degas.

Bloom

At about 45 seconds, slowly pour water in a steady spiral from the center outward until the scale reads 400 ml total (including the bloom water). Keep the water level consistent but do not overfill.

First pour

When the water level has dropped (around 1:45–2:00 minutes), pour slowly again in a controlled spiral to bring the scale to 700 ml total. Maintain an even pour avoiding the edges to prevent channelling.

Second pour

When drawdown reaches about halfway or around 2:45–3:00 minutes, pour the remaining water to reach 1,000 ml total. Finish pouring by 3:15–3:30 minutes and allow the coffee to draw down completely.

Final pour

The final drawdown (when dripping stops) should be around 3:30–4:30 minutes for this ratio and grind. If too fast, grind finer next time; if too slow, grind coarser.

Target drawdown time

Remove dripper and discard the used grounds and filter. Swirl the carafe and immediately pour into heat-warmed cups. Add milk or sweetener if desired.

Serve

This recipe uses a 1:16.7 coffee-to-water ratio (60 g : 1,000 ml). For stronger coffee, increase coffee to 65–70 g or reduce water. For weaker, reduce coffee to 50–55 g. Water temperature, grind, and pour speed are the main levers to tweak flavour.

Adjustments & notes

If using a French press, grind the 60 g coffee slightly coarser (coarse like breadcrumbs). Preheat the French press with hot water, discard rinse.

Prepare for immersion

Add ground coffee to the press, pour 1,000 ml of water heated to ~93°C, ensuring all grounds are saturated. Stir gently to ensure even wetting.

Add coffee and water

Place the lid with plunger up and steep for 4 minutes. For a stronger extraction, steep 5 minutes; for lighter, 3–3.5 minutes.

Steep

Press the plunger down steadily, pour immediately into cups to avoid over-extraction, and serve. Adjust steep time and grind to taste.

Plunge and serve

freshly roasted whole coffee beans (medium roast recommended)

filtered water (for brewing)

filtered water (for rinsing/filter and preheat)

paper filter (v60/chemex size appropriate) or metal filter

scale (digital)

gooseneck kettle

burr grinder

brewing vessel (V60, Chemex, or an immersion brewer like a French press)

timer

cup or carafe

milk or sweetener (optional)

Weigh or measure the whole-leaf black tea. Slice the fresh ginger into thin rounds and lightly crush the cardamom pods and cloves so they release aroma.

Measure and Prepare

Pour 480 ml filtered water into a small saucepan. Add the sliced ginger, crushed cardamom pods, and cloves. Bring to a rolling simmer over medium heat. Allow the spices and ginger to infuse for 4 minutes, keeping the pan partially covered to retain volatile aromatics.

Bring Water and Spices to a Simmer

After 4 minutes of simmering, reduce heat to low and add the 4 g loose black tea and 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir once, then maintain a gentle simmer for 2 minutes. Do not boil vigorously to avoid bitterness from over-extraction.

Add Tea and Sweetener

Remove the saucepan from heat and let the tea steep with the spices for 3 more minutes to round the flavors. Taste; if you prefer less spice or sweetness, adjust by removing ginger or reducing sugar in future brews.

Steep Off Heat

Strain the brew through a fine mesh sieve or tea strainer into a teapot or directly into cups. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to brighten the brew. Serve immediately hot.

Finish and Serve (Clear Brew)

If you prefer a milky Kini, warm 60 ml milk separately (do not boil). Add milk to the strained tea to make a creamier cup. If using honey instead of sugar, stir in 1 tsp honey into the warm brewed tea to taste, adding lemon only if you like a slightly tangy finish.

Creamy Variation (Optional)

For a stronger brew, increase tea to 6 g or extend steep off-heat time by 1–2 minutes. For iced Kini, double-brew (use 960 ml water and 8 g tea), cool to room temperature, strain, then chill and serve over ice. Sweeten while warm so it dissolves fully.

Adjustments and Tips

whole-leaf black tea (or loose breakfast blend)

filtered water

granulated sugar

fresh ginger, thinly sliced

cardamom pods, lightly crushed

whole cloves

fresh lemon juice

milk (optional, for a creamy variation)

honey (optional, alternative sweetener)

Clean shiitake mushrooms by wiping with a damp paper towel. Remove and discard (or save for stock) the tough stems. Slice caps into roughly 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices so they cook quickly and evenly.

Prepare mushrooms

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. Heat until the butter melts and begins to foam but not brown, about 1 minute.

Heat pan

Add the minced garlic and chopped shallot (reserve some of the white scallion for garnish if desired). Sauté for 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so the garlic does not burn.

Cook aromatics

Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms in a single layer as much as the pan allows. Let them sear without stirring for 1–2 minutes to develop color, then stir and continue cooking another 2–3 minutes until they are golden and any released liquid has mostly evaporated.

Sear mushrooms

Pour in the light vegetable/chicken stock (or water), soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and fresh lemon juice. Stir and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook 1–2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens and coats the mushrooms.

Deglaze & season

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt (adjust to taste). Cook another 30–60 seconds to meld flavors.

Finish flavoring

Remove skillet from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning (add more soy for saltiness, lemon for brightness, or pepper for spice).

Transfer mushrooms to a serving dish. Sprinkle with the thinly sliced scallion greens and whites, chopped cilantro or parsley if using, toasted sesame seeds, and a light pinch of red pepper flakes if you want heat.

Serve immediately as a warm side dish, a topping for rice or noodles, or folded into an omelet. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

shiitake mushrooms (fresh, stems removed, sliced)

unsalted butter

garlic (minced, about 3 medium cloves)

shallot (finely chopped)

light soy sauce

rice vinegar

mirin (or dry sherry)

light vegetable or chicken stock (or water)

toasted sesame oil

freshly ground black pepper

scallions (thinly sliced, white and green parts separated)

fresh cilantro or parsley (optional, chopped)

red pepper flakes (optional)

Place 1 cup coarsely ground coffee in a large jar or pitcher. Pour 4 cups cold filtered water over the grounds, making sure all grounds are saturated.

Combine coffee and water

Give the mixture a gentle stir with a spoon so all grounds are wet and evenly distributed. No need to agitate vigorously; just ensure there are no dry clumps.

Stir to bloom

Cover the jar or pitcher with a lid or plastic wrap. Steep in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature for 16 to 20 hours for balanced extraction. For a stronger concentrate, steep up to 24 hours.

After steeping, set a fine mesh sieve over a clean container. Line the sieve with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or use a nut milk bag. Pour the coffee-water mixture through to separate most of the grounds. Allow it to drain without pressing to avoid extra grit.

First strain

For clearer cold brew, pour the filtered liquid through a second clean coffee filter or another layer of cheesecloth set in the sieve. This removes fine particles and results in a smoother cup.

Second strain (optional but recommended)

The resulting liquid will be cold brew concentrate. Taste it and, if it’s too strong, dilute with cold filtered water or milk to your preferred strength (typical serving: 1 part concentrate to 1–2 parts water or milk).

Dilute to taste

Pour cold brew over ice if desired. Add milk, cream, or dairy-free alternative and sweetener to taste. Stir gently to combine.

Refrigerate leftover cold brew in a sealed container for up to 7–10 days. Shake or stir before using, as natural settling may occur.

Store

Discard used coffee grounds (compost if possible). Rinse the sieve and cloth/filter and wash the jar or pitcher with warm soapy water. Allow cheesecloth to air dry completely before reuse.