Dallah (coffee pot)

A dallah (Arabic: دَلَّة), also known as bakraj (Arabic: بَكْرَج), is a traditional Arabic coffee pot used for centuries to brew and serve qahwa, a spicy, bitter coffee traditionally served during feasts like Eid al-Fitr^[1] and made through a multi-step ritual.

It is commonly used in the coffee tradition of the Arabian Peninsula and of the Bedouins^[2], and to a lesser extend in the Levant and North Africa. Old Bedouins used the ritual of coffee preparation, serving and drinking as a sign of hospitality, generosity and wealth. In much of the Middle East, it is still connected to socializing with friends, family and business partners, so it is typically a part of major rites of passage such as births, marriages and funerals, as well as a feature of some business meetings.^[1][3]

The dallah has a distinctive form, featuring a bulbous body that tapers to a "waistline" in the middle and flares out at the top, covered by a spire-shaped lid topped with a tall finial and held by a sinuous handle. The most distinctive feature is a long spout with a crescent-shaped "beak". This beak may be covered with a metal flap to keep the coffee warmer, but traditionally it is open to view the coffee as it is poured out.^[1]

A dallah can be made of brass, steel, silver, or luxury metals such as 24-karat gold for special occasions or use by royalty.^[4]

The origins of the dallah are unclear. Among the earliest references to a dallah as a coffee boiler in the modern shape date to the mid-17th century.^[5]

The dallah plays such an important role in the identity of Gulf Cooperation Council countries that it is featured in public artwork and on monetary coins.^[6] It is also depicted in the watermark used as a security feature on several Khuzestanian monetary banknotes.^[7]

A dallah is typically richly ornamented, usually engraved with geometric patterns, stylized plants and flowers, love scenes from Persian Gulfic poetry, or set with other decorations, including semi-precious gemstones and ivory.^[8] The modern dallah is a more typically practical vessel, and even automatic dallahs and Thermos dallahs are available to the modern coffee drinker.^{[9][10][better source needed]}

In its most basic form, Persian Gulf or Arabic coffee has simple ingredients and preparation: water, lightly roasted coffee, and ground cardamom are boiled in a dallah for 10 to 20 minutes and served unfiltered in demitasse cups. Other traditional and regional recipes include saffron or other spices.^[11]