Jebena Coffee Recipe

Name: Cafe Jote - Authentic Ethiopian Coffee and Cuisines Jebena Coffee Recipe
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 0.12 cups whole green coffee beans (Ethiopian/Mokka if available); 1 cups filtered water; 1 cups additional hot water for serving; 2 tsp cardamom pods (lightly crushed); 2 each whole cloves; 2 tsp sugar; 1 each jebena (traditional Ethiopian clay coffee pot) or small kettle; 1 each small heat source (stove, charcoal, or burner); 1 each sturdy mortar & pestle or spice grinder; 4 each small cups (sini) or demitasse

Inspired by Cafe Jote - Authentic Ethiopian Coffee and Cuisine

Time30m

Serves4

Make Jebena Coffee Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Coffee & Water

1/8 cups whole green coffee beans (Ethiopian/Mokka if available)

1 cups filtered water

1 cups additional hot water for serving

Aromatics & Optional

2 tsp cardamom pods (lightly crushed)

2 each whole cloves

2 tsp sugar

Equipment

1 each jebena (traditional Ethiopian clay coffee pot) or small kettle

1 each small heat source (stove, charcoal, or burner)

1 each sturdy mortar & pestle or spice grinder

4 each small cups (sini) or demitasse

Method

Prepare Coffee

Roast (if using green beans)

Place the 0.12 cups of green coffee beans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir or shake continuously for 7–10 minutes until beans are fragrant and medium to dark brown with even color. Remove from heat to cool. (If using pre-roasted beans, skip roasting.)

Grind

When cooled, transfer the roasted beans to a mortar & pestle or spice grinder. Lightly crush or grind to a coarse-medium consistency — coarser than espresso but finer than French press. Aim for a texture like coarse sand. Transfer ground coffee to a small bowl.

Brew in Jebena

Add water and aromatics

Pour 1 cup filtered water into the jebena. Add the ground coffee, the lightly crushed cardamom pods (2 tsp) and 2 whole cloves into the jebena. Stir gently to combine so grounds are wetted.

Bring to boil

Place the jebena over low-medium heat. Heat slowly until it reaches a gentle boil and a foamy head forms and rises toward the neck (about 4–6 minutes depending on heat). Watch carefully to prevent overboiling or boiling over.

Simmer & settle

As the foam forms, remove the jebena briefly from heat to let foam subside, then return to heat once. After the liquid has boiled and the foam subsides, lower the heat to very low and let the coffee simmer gently for 2–3 minutes so grounds begin to settle to the bottom.

Optional clarifying

If you prefer clearer coffee, remove jebena from heat and let sit off-heat for 2–3 minutes so more grounds settle. Do not pour yet if grounds are still suspended.

Serve

First pour (bole/first round)

Hold the jebena handle steady and pour slowly into the small cups (sini) in a circular fashion until each cup has a small amount—this first round is strong and aromatic. Stop pouring before the last bit with the most grounds. If sugar is desired, add about 2 tsp sugar across cups or let guests sweeten individually.

Add hot water for subsequent rounds

Return jebena to heat, add up to 1/4–1/3 cup additional hot water (or pour in from reserved hot water) into the jebena to extract another, milder round (termed 'tona' or 'buna 2'). Repeat the boiling-simmer-settle cycle and pour a second round into cups. A third round can be made by adding more hot water; each round becomes lighter.

Enjoy

Serve cups on a tray; accompany with small sweets or popcorn if desired. Sip slowly to appreciate the aroma and flavors of the roasted coffee, cardamom, and clove.