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    Home » Drinks » Kurdish Coffee (Menengic Coffee)

    Published: Jan 13, 2013 · Modified: May 24, 2025 by Zerrin & Yusuf

    Kurdish Coffee (Menengic Coffee)

    Jump to Recipe

    Kurdish Coffee aka Menengic Coffee is a perfect caffeine free coffee with an amazing nutty flavor. It is made from roasted terebinth fruit paste and milk. So creamy, nutty and tasty.

    menengic coffee | giverecipe.com

    What Is Kurdish Coffee Made Of?

    I was wondering around the city center of Diyarbakir last weekend when I saw a great shopping arcade with many small shops selling various foods special to the region. As a foodie, I almost barged into it without hesitating as everything looked so tempting! The first thing taking my attention was what we call menengic.

    I searched for its English meaning and found that it is called terebinth berries. These green berries are one of my childhood favorites. We used to snack on them about 20 years ago when chips or crackers were not that common.

    My grandparents had a terebinth tree in their yard, and they would always bring a full bag whenever they visited us. We don’t have it where I live now, so it was great to see them in Diyarbakir!

    I couldn’t wait any longer and threw a few into my mouth, it’s a typical way to start shopping in a Turkish food shop. It was the same flavor as I had as a kid. If it’s the first time you try it, you may not love its bitterish-sourish flavor and its crunchiness.

    Menengic is one of those foods you either love or hate. I suggest you to have a few berries at one time to feel the flavor, you can’t get it with just one.

    I did the same warning to friends with me there and they found it ‘interesting’. Right, the word ‘interesting’ would be the best word to describe the flavor of terebinth berry, which is also known as the wild version of pistachio. You know, the flavor of wild foods are stronger.

    menengic coffee | giverecipe.com

    I saw a jar labeled ‘menengic coffee’ in the same shop and I was intrigued, so I bought a jar to try. I just couldn’t imagine how these berries could turn into coffee.

    I learnt from the vendor that menengic berries are picked, dried in the sun and roasted until they turn dark brown. After this roasting process, they are mashed until it becomes paste. I thought it was like powder, but no it is like melted chocolate.

    How To Make Kurdish Coffee Recipe

    This coffee is made either with milk or water, but I like it with milk as it softens the strong flavor of menengic. It is optional to add sugar; if you like your regular coffee sweet, then you should add sugar. I don’t think it needs any sweetness though if you make it with milk.

    menengic coffee4

    It has a softer flavor than regular Turkish coffee, so if you find Turkish coffee very strong, I’m sure you will love this caffein free coffee. It is almost the same to make these two coffees. They are both boiled in a special coffee pot over low heat. And you should be vigilant as it might rise very quickly and might boil over.

    You know having foam on top of cups is very important when making Turkish coffee but Kurdish menengic coffee doesn’t have any foams, so no worries! Way easier to make. It is served in demitasses just like Turkish coffee.

    menengic coffee5

    I thought it would be great to serve it in the copper coffee cup set I bought from Diyarbakir. Diyarbakır menengic coffee in Diyarbakir coffee cups, great!

    More Drinks From Turkey

    • Turkish Apple Tea
    • Turkish Tea
    • Rosehip Tea
    • Sahlep

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    📖 Recipe

    5 from 1 vote

    Kurdish Coffee (Menengic Coffee)

    By Zerrin & Yusuf
    A caffeine free coffee made of milk and terebinth berries paste.
    Yields: 2
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    PREP 3 hours hrs
    COOK 10 minutes mins
    TOTAL 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

    INGREDIENTS
      

    • 2 coffee cups milk
    • 2 teaspoon menengic coffee

    INSTRUCTIONS
     

    • Pour milk in a coffee pot.
    • Add menengic coffee and mix until it dissolves.
    • Cook it over low heat until it boils.
    • Share into demitasses and serve hot.

    NOTES

    Note: If you would like it sweet, add 1 teaspoon sugar with coffee.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 1kcalCarbohydrates: 0.04gProtein: 0.04gFat: 0.03gSaturated Fat: 0.02gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 0.1mgSodium: 0.5mgPotassium: 4mgSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 2IUCalcium: 1mg

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

    ADDITIONAL INFO

    Course Drink
    Cuisine Middle Eastern
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

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      Recipe Rating




    1. abdullah kaya says

      July 17, 2024 at 11:21 pm

      Merhaba,
      Ben Isveç’te Türkçe ve Kürtce (ana dili) öğretmeniyim ve İsveççe-Türkçe-Kürtce resimli bir sözlük hazırlıyorum. Web sitenizdeki resimleri sözlukte kullanabilir miyim? Tabiki kaynak göstermek suretiyle.
      Selamlar

      Reply
      • Zerrin & Yusuf says

        July 20, 2024 at 2:24 am

        Merhaba Abdullah Bey,

        Mesajiniz icin ve iznimizi istediginiz icin tesekkur ederiz. Kullanmak istediginiz, bu posttaki menengec kahvesi fotograflari mi? Eger oyleyse kaynak vererek kullandiginiz surece biz de sozlugunuzde yer almaktan memnun oluruz. Bu iznimizin websitemizdeki tum fotograflar icin gecerli olmadigini belirtmek isteriz.
        Sevgiler.

        Reply
    2. John says

      February 02, 2014 at 6:46 am

      My brother in law lived in north Iraq, close to Turkish border He used to bring us terebinth berries (Menengic) or Bittim as we call them. Question is the berries are green but inside the skin there is stone like pits which we crunched as kids.
      Tell me do you get rid of pits and only use the green skin to make the coffee?
      Greetings from Sydney

      Reply
      • Zerrin says

        February 03, 2014 at 8:56 am

        Hi John, menengic is found in the south east of Turkey, so I think we have it in common with the border countries. I haven't seen how it's turned into that paste like coffee, but I searched and learnt that it's ground as a whole, nıt just the skins. And the tiny stone like pieces sink in the bottom of the coffee when drinking. The coffee is so creamy, so those pieces are not disturbing.

        Reply
    3. kate says

      December 02, 2013 at 10:45 pm

      I really need to know where i can get those coffee cups and set! I love it! Great pictures!

      Reply
      • marie says

        December 20, 2019 at 7:09 am

        5 stars
        I found a Turkish coffee set similar to that at fairturk.com

        Reply
        • Yusuf says

          December 22, 2019 at 5:20 pm

          Thank you Marie!

    4. boregi says

      January 16, 2013 at 12:20 pm

      I was in Diyarbakir with my husband two years ago during our honeymoon and we hope we will come back there some day 🙂 The coffee cup set is beautiful !

      Reply
      • Zerrin says

        January 16, 2013 at 8:56 pm

        Diyarbakir is a very nice place, isn't it? However, one might gain weight there thanks to scrumptious dishes there! I bought the coffee cup set from an arcade where there are several copper shops in Diyarbakir. There were so many varieties that you can't decide which to one to buy. Hope you and your husband come here again soon!

        Reply

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    Zerrin & Yusuf

    Meet Zerrin and Yusuf Gunaydin: The couple behind this blog. We bring Turkish food into your kitchen! From kebabs to desserts, everything you crave is here.

    More about us→

    POPULAR RECIPES

    • Chicken seasoning in a glass jar and a small spoon in it.
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    • Turkish bean stew in a dark colored bowl and a spoon inside it.
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    • Roasted tomato soup topped with feta cheese and basil leaves in a white bowl, grilled cheese sandwich dipped into it and more grilled cheese sandwiches behind it.
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    • Turkish chicken dish with a tomato sauce served in a bowl and a fork inside it.
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    • Baked chicken wings on a rack.
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