# Chukku Kaapi Source: https://dailyextraction.com/methods/chukku-kaapi/ Last updated: 2026-10-20 > Simmer water with dried ginger, crushed black pepper, cumin and holy basil (tulsi) leaves for about 10 minutes, sweetening it with palm jaggery. Add instant coffee powder, take it off the heat, strain and drink it warm. In Kerala it's a traditional home remedy for colds and coughs, as well as an everyday warming drink. ## At a glance - Ratio: 1 tsp instant coffee per 2 servings - Water temperature: Simmered - Brew time: about 10:00 - Category: Boiled & Traditional (Boiled) - Difficulty: Beginner - Origin: India - Also known as: chukku kappi, chukku kapi, dry ginger coffee, Kerala ginger coffee ## Steps 1. **Add the spices to water**: Put the water in a small pan with 1 teaspoon of grated dried ginger, half a teaspoon of crushed black pepper, half a teaspoon of cumin seeds and 5 or 6 holy basil (tulsi) leaves. 2. **Sweeten**: Add palm jaggery (karupatti) or ordinary jaggery to taste. 3. **Simmer**: Bring it to the boil and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. 4. **Add the coffee**: Stir in 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder and take the pan off the heat. 5. **Strain and serve**: Strain into two glasses or mugs and drink it hot or slightly warm. **Chukku kaapi** (also *chukku kappi*) is Kerala's **dry ginger coffee**: water simmered with **dried ginger**, **black pepper**, **cumin** and **holy basil**, sweetened with dark **palm jaggery**, with a spoonful of **coffee** stirred in at the end. Its name means dry ginger coffee. It's a warming everyday drink in colder weather and, above all, a **home remedy** for colds and coughs. Here's how it's made, with three recipes side by side. ## The short version - **Dried ginger, black pepper and coffee**, sweetened with palm jaggery. - **Often with cumin, tulsi and coriander**, and sometimes cardamom or cinnamon. - **Simmered about 10 minutes**, then the coffee goes in. - **Strained and drunk warm**, morning or evening. - **A Kerala home remedy** for colds, and a comforting daily drink. ## How do you make chukku kaapi? This is **My Diverse Kitchen's** recipe for two: 1. **Put the water in a small pan** with **1 teaspoon of grated dried ginger** (or a crushed ½ to ¾ inch piece), **½ teaspoon of freshly crushed black pepper**, **½ teaspoon of cumin seeds** and **5 or 6 holy basil (tulsi) leaves**. 2. **Add palm jaggery** (*karupatti*) or regular jaggery, to taste. 3. **Bring it to the boil** and simmer on low heat for **about 10 minutes**. 4. **Stir in 1 teaspoon of instant coffee powder** and take the pan off the heat. 5. **Strain** into two glasses or mugs and serve hot. ## How do the recipes compare? Every household has its own version. Here's how three published recipes differ: | | Onmanorama (Ayurvedic doctor's version) | Archana's Kitchen | My Diverse Kitchen | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Ginger | Dried ginger | 1 tbsp dry ginger powder | 1 tsp grated dried ginger | | Pepper | Black pepper | 1 tsp black pepper powder | ½ tsp crushed black pepper | | Coffee | Coffee powder | 1 tbsp instant coffee | 1 tsp instant coffee | | Seeds | Coriander, cumin, fenugreek | 1 tsp cumin | ½ tsp cumin | | Herbs | Fresh basil leaves | Tulsi (holy basil) | 5 or 6 tulsi leaves | | Sweetener | Palm jaggery | 3 tbsp jaggery | Palm or regular jaggery, to taste | | Extras | Some add cardamom and cinnamon | 4 cardamom pods, a pinch of salt | None | | Cooking | Everything boiled together for at least 10 minutes | Jaggery dissolved first; spices and coffee boiled 4 minutes, tulsi 2 to 3 more | Spices simmered 10 minutes; coffee added off the heat | Onmanorama notes that a **quick version** uses just dried ginger, coffee powder, crushed black pepper and palm jaggery. ## Why is it drunk? **As a remedy.** Onmanorama, drawing on Ayurvedic doctor **E. P. Sarathchandra Kumar**, describes chukku kappi as a long-standing reliever for people "down with cold and cough", and lists traditional reasons for each ingredient: dried ginger and black pepper against coughs, coriander for digestion, palm jaggery to refresh the throat. Some people gargle with it for a sore throat. These are **traditional uses** rather than proven medical effects. **As a daily drink.** Archana's Kitchen calls it a traditional coffee made very often in Kerala homes during colder weather, served early in the morning and in the evening. Onmanorama says some people drink it every day, even when they're well, and that morning is the best time, though evening and bedtime are common too. *General guidance only, not medical advice. If you're ill, see a doctor, and if you're watching your sugar, go easy on the jaggery.* ## Chukku kaapi vs other methods - **[South Indian filter coffee](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/south-indian-filter/):** the region's everyday milky coffee. - **[Café Touba](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/cafe-touba/):** Senegal's coffee spiced with Guinea pepper. - **[Moroccan spiced coffee](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/moroccan-spiced-coffee/):** coffee with ginger, pepper and warm spices. - **[Café de olla](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/cafe-de-olla/):** Mexican coffee simmered with cinnamon and unrefined sugar. Explore every boiled method in the [boiled chapter](https://dailyextraction.com/methods/boiled/). ## FAQs ### What does chukku mean? Dried ginger. Chukku kaapi (or chukku kappi) simply means dry ginger coffee. ### What goes into chukku kaapi? Always dried ginger and coffee, usually with black pepper and palm jaggery. Fuller versions add cumin, coriander and fenugreek seeds, holy basil (tulsi) and sometimes cardamom or cinnamon. ### Does chukku kaapi use instant coffee? The recipes we found use instant coffee powder or "coffee powder", added near the end. Ground filter coffee works too if you strain it well. ### Is chukku kaapi good for colds? It's a traditional Kerala home remedy for colds, coughs and congestion, and Onmanorama describes it as an Ayurvedic concoction. Those are traditional uses, not proven medical effects; see a doctor if you're ill. ### When is chukku kaapi drunk? Often in the morning, and in the evening or before bed, especially in colder weather. Some people drink it only when they're unwell; others drink it every day. ## Sources - [Chukku kappi: Kerala’s own herbal drink](https://onmanorama.com/lifestyle/health/2020/04/09/chukku-kappi-kerala-herbal-drink-boosts-immunity-relief-from-flu.html) - [Chukku kaapi recipe: dry ginger coffee](https://www.archanaskitchen.com/recipe/chukku-kaapi-recipe-dry-ginger-coffee) - [Chukku kapi: a herbal coffee with dry ginger and black pepper from Kerala](https://www.mydiversekitchen.com/wprm_print/chukku-kapi-a-herbal-coffee-with-dry-ginger-and-black-pepper-from-kerala)