The best coffee in the world tastes like chocolate. Wait, what? Learn how to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee and enjoy this deliciously chocolatey, smooth and super addictive pick-me-up at home. It’s quick and easy to make and may just be the start of a whole new addiction. Oops?
So yesterday was my birthday (yaaaay!) and of course, birthdays always demand a few cringeworthy photos don’t they?
I have to admit, I’m still immature enough to look forward to a day of getting spoilt. And there was so much spoiling going on. Not just for breakfast, but lunch and dinner too, plus a healthy dose of shopping, and some rare sunshine in the middle of winter.
As with any good birthday there were also a few glasses of bubbles last night (too many? neverrrr). So Sarah’s final birthday surprise was teaching me how to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee this morning.
Let me tell you, it was just what the doctor ordered. 😎
All through our South East Asian adventures in Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, we were addicted to our daily dose of icy drinks like teh tarik (iced tea).
Brewed with tea leaves and mixed with sweetened condensed milk, teh tarik usually came in a little plastic bag cinched up with a rubber band, a handy straw poked through the side.
Ingenious. A cool drink AND super portable.
But…
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Then we headed into Vietnam, and BAM!
We’d suddenly crossed the border into the holy land of thick, luscious and super strong coffee, brewed in perfect Vietnamese style.
One sip of Vietnamese Iced Coffee and we were like: ‘Iced tea what now?’ 😅
So what makes Vietnamese Iced Coffee so good? What gives it that magic chocolatey flavour and thick, velvet-like texture?
Well it has a little something to do with butter… and FISH SAUCE.
Yep.
Not even joking. It’s an actual thing and it’s amazing.
In a feat of alchemical glory, Vietnamese Robusta coffee beans are roasted in a mix of fish sauce and butter to bring out that incredible flavour.
Even better, the end result tastes nothing like fish sauce at all.
Phew. 😛
So you want to learn how to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee, do you?
Learn how to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee at home and it’ll always be within reach, whenever you need it. All you need is a bag of Trung Nguyen Gourmet Blend
We scored a packet of Trung Nguyen coffee at our local Asian grocery store, so if you have one near you check them out first. Otherwise you could look at buying some online.
Quick Note: You CAN skip the ice cubes and drink it warm, but we think the flavour and strength of the coffee is much better when iced.
But hey, if you love your coffee pulse-racingly intense then who are we to judge?
Feel free to play around with the amount of condensed milk to find your favourite ratios… or omit the ice for a hot version… or drink it down black…
Oh the options.
How about that technique then?
To master the authentic technique, you’ll need to invest in a Vietnamese ‘phin’ coffee filter
- Pop a few tablespoons of condensed milk in the bottom of a tall glass.
- Add in a few tablespoons of Vietnamese coffee grounds to your Vietnamese coffee filter, then pop it on top of the glass.
- Pour in a little boiling water until the coffee grounds are covered, then cover with the gravity insert and press down lightly to even the grounds.
- Pour in more boiling water until it just reaches the top of the gravity insert, then allow the coffee to steep. Pop on the lid and watch as thick black coffee starts to drip down onto the condensed milk.
- Once it’s finished, simply pop in your ice, mix everything together, and enjoy that coffee buzz.
Huzzah! Vietnamese Iced Coffee is ready to be your new best friend.
If you think Vietnamese coffee is good, there’s so much more deliciousness to discover in Vietnamese cuisine. We love it so much we even created a free ecookbook about it. Oh and don’t forget to check out our Ridiculously Easy Malaysian Teh Tarik too.
- 2 tbsp Vietnamese coffee grounds (we used Trung Nguyen)
- 2 tbsp condensed milk
- Handful ice cubes
- Pop a few tablespoons of condensed milk in the bottom of a tall glass.
- Add in a few tablespoons of Vietnamese coffee grounds to your Vietnamese coffee filter, then pop it on top of the glass.
- Pour in a little boiling water until the coffee grounds are covered, then cover with the gravity insert and press down lightly.
- Pour in more boiling water until it just reaches the top of the gravity insert, then allow the coffee to steep. That thick black coffee will start to drip down onto the condensed milk.
- Once it's finished, simply pop in your ice, mix everything together, and enjoy that coffee buzz.
Grab your FREE ecookbook and kick start your kitchen travels in Vietnam. Then get ready for more global recipes, travel stories and cooking tips, delivered straight to your inbox.
19/10/2016 at 9:29 pm
Well, we do put fish sauce in everything but I didn’t know it was in the iced coffee. Instead, I always add a dash of salt in my coffee 🙂
20/10/2016 at 2:49 pm
Oh yeah, we’ve heard of that but haven’t tried it yet! We’ve also heard that adding cinnamon helps to bring out that epic coffee deliciousness. We’ll be trying both ASAP. 😀 Thanks for stopping by!
30/09/2016 at 3:47 am
I’m glad I clicked through. I keep seeing this type of coffee in my feed this week. Would have NEVER thought fish sauce was in there. I cringed when I saw it because the smell of it is so pungent. But I am intrigued and definitely want to try it.
30/09/2016 at 4:06 pm
We’re glad you clicked too! Fish Sauce is an interesting ingredient. It’s so horrible to smell alone, yet used in cooking it can add a saltyness and depth that you usually can’t achieve otherwise. We definitely recommend using it! As for the coffee, the beans are roasted with it, which reacts to give a smooth and almost chocolate-like coffee flavour when brewed. No fish smell or taste in sight – we promise! 😀
27/07/2016 at 4:59 am
That’s fascinating about the coffee roasting! I always assumed the basic coffee was like any other, and so didn’t know why this was different from any other coffee with condensed milk (which you see in several hot climates…)
Now I know. Cool! Thank you.
01/08/2016 at 9:13 am
There’s so much deliciousness out there but this one is so different. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
16/08/2016 at 11:02 am
I hope that people will known about Vietname’s Coffee much more after this post. It’s so difference , like you said . I have my own small coffee bar in a small town. Of course, I have one Milk Coffee Glass every morning to wake me up.
Thank you for your support Our Country Coffee.
22/08/2016 at 3:42 pm
Hi Nghia – we love Vietnam and especially Vietnamese coffee. Such a delicious way to start our day! We’d love to visit your coffee bar next time we go to Vietnam. 🙂
27/07/2016 at 2:49 am
This sounds amazing! Fish sauce and butter infused coffee beans!? I would have never thought of that. Love all the detailed and step by step instructions you provided. Wish I could try it soon.
01/08/2016 at 9:10 am
We were so surprised too, who would have thought that this strange combo would work so well to make coffee taste so amazing?? Then they made it even better with a good dollop of condensed milk. So delish!
26/07/2016 at 11:27 pm
Oh yum! this looks so refreshing! Thanks for sharing the technique to the perfect cup! yum!
01/08/2016 at 9:00 am
Definitely a good drink to cool off with on a hot day. Good luck and have fun!
26/07/2016 at 7:19 am
I am a fan of iced coffee, I always order it in various cafes. I have never heard about this Vietnamese version, though. Thanks for the recipe!
26/07/2016 at 8:37 am
You’re welcome Igor, thanks for stopping by!
25/07/2016 at 7:53 pm
I think I need like 5 glasses of this!
26/07/2016 at 8:37 am
Amen to that!
24/07/2016 at 12:21 pm
Nice coffee to say good morning !!!
26/07/2016 at 8:37 am
Absolutely!