Vietnamese Coffee or cà phê đá is made using the medium to coarse ground dark roast Vietnamese-grown coffee with a small metal Vietnamese drip filter called a phin or phin cà phê. A popular way to drink Vietnamese coffee is cà phê sữa đá, which is Vietnamese iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk. This is done by filling up the coffee cup with 2-3 tablespoons or more of sweetened condensed milk before the drip filter process
Black or sweetened (đen or sữa); hot or iced (nóng or đá), there is nothing like a Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. This is made using a traditional Vietnamese coffee maker known in Vietnam as a phin (or French press). The phin possibly in Cambodia in the 1800’s. The phin makes a single-serving coffee and acts as the brewer and filter that sits on top of the coffee cup or glass. They cost around $8 on Amazon
Phin filter set. Vietnamese coffee equipment
Vietnamese coffee is prepared in this way to ensure the grounds of the coffee are steeped for longer than some other brewing techniques and results in a richer and more intense flavor that is delicious served either hot or iced.
How to make Vietnamese Coffee
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons ground Vietnamese Coffee
• 1/2 cup boiling hot water
• 1-2 tablespoons of Sweet Condensed Milk (to taste)
• 1/2 cup ice cubes or crushed ice (omit if making hot Vietnamese coffee)
• a phin or a French Press will work fine.
Preparation:
1. In a stainless steel phin, add 2 tablespoons of coffee powder.
2. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Sweet Condensed Milk into a drinking glass. Place filter on top of the drinking glass. Pour hot water into the filter.
3. Once hot water has filtered through, remove the filter from the glass. Stir the milk to dissolve into the coffee. Add ice with coffee and stir again.
You might also like to read about How to Make Egg Coffee another popular Vietnamese coffee.
