Prianka Chaudhary, Delhi

The first time I wanted to have instant coffee was during my internship at a hospital, where we would not get enough time to make coffee with a perfect blend. I used to prefer home-made coffee, but no brand had ever tasted good enough.

So, I happened to see this coffee brand, Maxim, that is shown in many Korean dramas, and since then, I really wanted to try this one. Drinking coffee in South Korea is considered as an essential element of the culture. After doing my research on the internet, I found out that Maxim is one of the most famous coffee brands not only in South Korea but also in the world. This coffee brand offers various flavours but the most popular one is Maxim Mocha Gold, which is usually sold in packs of 100 or 200.

But for me, the biggest drawback was its non-availability as it took me 3 months to find and order this brand’s instant mix in a pack of 100. Since this brand is not easily available in India, the price usually goes high. It can even be triple the amount of the one offered in Korea.

Other than the price factor and availability issues, what I loved the most about this premix instant coffee was that it had everything just in the right amount, or you can say that there was the perfect balance of the coffee, cream, and sugar.

Even though many people might feel that it’s a little bit on the sweeter end, but that is just perfect for my taste. Usually in South Korea, instant coffee is really famous, and you can easily find the instant coffee sachets at various places. A lot of Koreans carry it even on their business trips. I found this information when my brother, who works with a Korean team, told me that Koreans generally have instant coffee every day, and they even carry it with them to India while on their business-related trips.

My first attempt at making this instant coffee was no less than a disaster. I ended up pouring the entire sachet in a mug and filled it with hot water immediately, and that tasted horrible. It tasted like drinking warm water that had the essence of coffee to it. But I did not give up and did a little more research to prepare it correctly – this time with the right amount of water.

So, this instant coffee is actually pretty easy to make. All you need is hot water, that fills at least one-third of your cup, and the premix. Mix them together and voila! your coffee is ready. And it will taste good! Not too strong but mild in taste, having a smooth texture and a great aroma.

As I told earlier, Maxim has many variants of coffee, and I was lucky enough to try two of their flavours. The second was Maxim White Gold Instant Coffee. If you are a sucker for instant iced coffee, then all you need to do is add this sachet in cold water instead of hot water, mix it properly, and add ice cubes. It’s that simple, and you will get your iced coffee ready in no time.

Since I am a huge fan of Korean culture and cuisine, my love for Korean instant coffee is understandable. But what came as a surprise to me was my family’s love for this coffee. I didn’t expect it as they love it so much that they want to drink it every day. It’s that amazing!

Have you tried Korean instant coffee? How was your experience? Tell us about it.