Embarking on our Vietnamese escapade was a thrilling voyage into a vibrant Asian realm, brimming with culture and palate-pleasing sophistication. Known locally as “cafe sua da” and internationally as Vietnamese Coffee, this delightful beverage beckoned us with its unique charm.
Upon encountering the term Vietnamese coffee, skepticism briefly clouded my mind, reminiscent of the buzz around fads like ‘Goji berries’ during their mainstream debut. While Goji berries are undoubtedly appealing, they don’t captivate my taste buds daily.
Fast forward to our introduction to Vietnamese coffee – a revelation that now compels us to indulge in a cup each weekend without fail!
What’s Vietnamese Coffee?
Vietnamese coffee comes in the form of grounded coffee beans. The method of roasting the coffee beans creates a mocha-like flavour.
The original serving suggestion to make a proper Vietnamese Coffee is having it with condensed milk as seen above. The metal pot on the cup is called the Phin, to filter the coffee dripping down into the cup.
How to prepare a cuppa?
Since Vietnamese coffee is sold in grounded form, you’ll have to use a coffee press machine like the ones you see in Starbucks, Costa and cafès, or a Cafetière (French coffee press) or a moka pot (Spanish coffee maker) or a Phin filter (Vietnamese coffee filter)
I’m lactose-intolerant …help me!
Don’t worry, you could also use almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk or any vegan options you could find at your local supermarket.
Bear in mind that soy milk and/or brown sugar gives the coffee a sourish-taste. You could add some white sugar or stevia to sweeten the coffee.
I’m trying to impress my friends & family with this coffee, what else can I add?
If you’re expecting guests, friends or family, there are a few tips and tricks you could use to present your coffee to look exquisite.
Frothed Milk
Nowadays, you could find a small milk froth kettle in supermarkets or online shopping platforms (Amazon, eBay, etc) for less than $35 (€30). It’s a fool-proof and fail-proof way to whip up the foam in the milk of your choice. It heats up the milk and spin it like a washing machine.
Step 1 : First, brew your coffee and then stir in the milk & sugars. Or add condensed milk for a proper Vietnamese style coffee.
Step 2 : Pour in the milk into the frothing machine, select the frothing mode from low froth to super-foamy. If you’re unsure how much to make, pour a little bit more milk than expected to familiarize with the portion.
Step 3 : Pour the froth onto the coffee. Voila!
For best results, use Barista-Style oat milk (for the dairy/lactose-free option) or full-cream cow’s milk.
Cinnamon Sprinkles
You’ve probably seen this before at your coffee outlet, they have a steel can filled with cinnamon powder to sprinkle onto the frothed milk.
If you don’t have a cinnamon shaker, you could use a small sieve to sprinkle. Pour a teaspoon of cinnamon onto the sieve over a plate, gently tap the sieve with your palm over the milk frothing.
Ice Cubes (Iced Coffee)
Oh yes, this was our favorite. Coffee, milk, some honey and ice cubes. But, you cannot add frothing to the drink as the frothing is warm and it’ll melt the ice -diluting your coffee mix.
Whipped Cream
Who doesn’t love to see whipped cream on their iced coffee? Go on spray some whipped cream on the cup and sprinkle some cinnamon on top to make it look like a professionally made coffee!
Lotus Biscuits
Go the extra mile, add a mini pack of Lotus biscuits on the coffee saucer, that’ll make it look sophisticated!
Where can I find this Vietnamese coffee?
Vietnamese coffee could be bought online or in Asian supermarkets. Just like other types of coffee on the market, there are various brands and blends to choose from.
We are used to one brand and blend that we also recommend you to try that is the Trung Nguyen ‘S’ Blend. Click HERE to visit the vendor’s website. Or you could also Google Search “Trung Nguyen Coffee” to find alternative suppliers.
Please note that we have no agreements with this supplier and we are not sponsored by them to promote the product.
