Brew a glass of Vietnamese iced coffee for a delicious wake-me-up (or help-me-stay-awake) any day of the week.
If you are a coffee lover but haven't had Vietnamese Iced Coffee before, you need to try it. It's super easy to make, and super easy to drink too. Plus, it will give you that extra energy you need from your morning cup of coffee.
The ritual of making it is fun too. While it doesn't take long, there are a few steps that make me feel like I'm making a special treat.
Living super close to Southern California's Little Saigon, I've been lucky to have so many Vietnamese restaurants and supermarkets available. I've loved experimenting with the ingredients, flavors, and recipes, including Goi Ga (Chicken Salad), Bo Kho (beef stew), Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls (Go Cuan), and even Banh Mi Bread. If you pop "Vietnamese" in the search box, you'll find so many more recipes.
I've also played with the flavors of Vietnamese-style coffee by making ice cream and coffee cake, but I've never actually posted the coffee that inspired both recipes.
Plus,I was finally inspired to post this because back in the twentieth century, a long time ago, my job included helping post-war refugees from Vietnam find work. I then learned, while making connections, that coffee culture, and coffee shops, were super important in the community for reaching out.
About Vietnamese Iced Coffee:
Called cà phê sura dá, Vietnamese coffee's history can be traced back to French colonialism. It's likely an adaptation to café au lait. The addition of sweetened condensed milk is likely due to the fact that dairy was new to Vietnam, and the tropical climate also made it difficult to keep fresh milk fresh.
Shelf stable milk, including sweetened condensed milk, was probably used for this reason.
During the Colonial period, the French established coffee farms in the country, especially robusta coffee beans. While the coffee is considered inferior to arabica beans, and therefore less expensive, it's readily available, and lends itself to French-style dark roasted coffee.
This coffee is basically a shot of strong coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk, which is then poured over ice. It's the unofficial beverage of Little Saigon.
Let's get to the coffee!
Ingredients You Will Need:
Coffee - Coarsely ground strong French roast coffee. An option if you love this coffee is a Vietnamese style Robusta coffee. You can also try Café du Monde ground coffee, with chicory.
Sweetened Condensed Milk - It comes in a can. Pour leftovers into a container and refrigerate.
Hot Water and Ice - For pouring and chilling.
To Make This Coffee:
I used a phin, which is a metal coffee press found in most Asian markets, It's super inexpensive. Mine was $12. If you don't have one, you can use your regular coffee maker to brew triple strength coffee or espresso. You can also use a French press if you have one, or a Melita-style single brew drip coffee maker. You can also set up a sieve with a coffee filter.
First, add sweetened condensed milk to a small heat proof glass and set up the phin over the glass. Spoon 2 tablespoons of strong French roast coffee grounds into the phin and shake it to level the grounds. Top with the gravity insert (press) and pour a small amount of boiling water into the phin to soak the grounds.
Next, add the rest of the boiling water and let the coffee drip into the glass.
When the coffee has dripped into the glass, stir it into the condense milk until combined and then pour the mixture over an ice-filled glass.
I've had these Duralex Picardie glasses forever and love that they are great for hot liquids. I used the 5 ounce size for making the coffee, and the 8 ounce size for pouring the coffee over ice. Plus, the phin fits perfectly.
Sunday Funday - Coffee
- A Trio of Caffè-Kissed Cocktails: Espresso Martini, Negroni al Caffè, and a Caffè Old Fashioned by Culinary Cam
- Affogato by Amy's Cooking Adventures (our host)
- Boozy Affogato by Food Lust People Love
- Black & White Maca Mocha by A Messy Kitchen
- Espresso Con Panna by Mayuri's Jikoni
- Espresso Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Filter Coffee/Filter Kaapi by Sneha's Recipe
- Vietnamese Iced Coffee by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Vietnamese iced coffee - a delicious wake-me-up (or help-me-stay-awake) for any day of the week.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons strong French roast coffee, coarsely ground
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 1 8-ounce glass filled with ice
Instructions
- Add the sweetened condensed milk to a small heat-proof glass.
- Place the phin over the glass, and add two tablespoons of the coffee grounds into the container. Top with the gravity insert or "press." If you don't have a phin, you can use a coffee filter lined sieve or a drip coffee maker.
- Pour two tablespoons of the boiling water over the press to bloom the coffee grounds. Top with the rest of the water and let the coffee drip into the glass.
- Stir the coffee into the condensed milk.
- Pour the coffee mixture into the ice filled glass.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
458Fat (grams)
38 gSat. Fat (grams)
7 gCarbs (grams)
30 gFiber (grams)
7 gNet carbs
23 gSugar (grams)
23 gProtein (grams)
6 gCholesterol (grams)
14 mg
