I recently added Vietnamese coffee to my at-home caffeine line-up and it is so good. Have I ever been to Vietnam? No. Have I been to a Vietnamese restaurant recently? Nope (but should definitely change that soon).
Admittedly, I am not the most cultured when it comes to worldly cuisines. I’m not an expert by any means, nor am I sure I’ve ever had an authentic cup of this sweet and bold coffee drink. However, allow me to introduce you to the concept of a Vietnamese-style coffee drink if you’re not familiar.
Looking for another adventurous coffee? Check out this spiced honey latte.
What is Vietnamese coffee?
According to an article by Woks of Life, Vietnamese coffee is “an intensely strong and sweet coffee,” made with two ingredients:
- Strong coffee (hot or iced)
- Sweetened condensed milk
Traditionally, this coffee is drunk hot in the morning and iced later in the heat of the day. Now that it’s approximately 1000 degrees here in Phoenix, I’ll take mine iced always and forever — thanks!
How to make this coffee
There’s many instructions online for making a cup of traditional Vietnamese coffee, which involves a drip or pour-over method and something called a “phin filter.”
Vietnamese style coffee beans are known for being very strong and you can easily buy some at most grocery stores, specialty markets or online.
I didn’t have any Vietnamese-brand coffee or a phin filter on hand, so I resorted to improvising.
Vietnamese coffee recipe
- 1 shot of Espresso or 1 cup of coffee, brewed strong
- 1-2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk
- Ice
First, I started by making a shot of espresso. Any coffee you have on hand will work just fine too. I put a tablespoon or so of the sweetened condensed milk at the bottom of my glass.
Then I poured the shot over the condensed milk, gave it a swirl to combine a bit. The condensed milk will remain at the bottom for the most part. I added some water to give the drink a little more volume and topped it with ice.
Using a straw is key here, with every sip you get a little hit of the condensed milk. It’s honestly so good.
Have you tried Vietnamese coffee before and if so, where is your favorite place in Phoenix to get one?
