How to Make Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnam has became famous for their coffee bean production. Coffee was brought to the Vietnamese during the 19th century by the French. Since then, production has increased due to the adequate terrain and growing conditions. Vietnamese Coffee is strong with a hint of sweetness. Upon reading this article you will be able to make your own Vietnamese coffee to enjoy.
- The first step in making Vietnamese coffee is to obtain the ingredients. You will need water, a phin (which is a dome like container that sits on top of the glass you use), a heat source, and coffee with chicory. The chicory is optional, but preferred by most.
- Next, you will pour about one third of an inch of condensed milk into the glass. The condensed milk is the heart and soul of the Vietnamese coffee. Make sure you use condensed milk and not evaporated milk. The condensed milk will add a sweet and thick texture to the coffee. Then, you will want to heat up the water until it nears its boiling point.
- Then, you will take the phin (which you can buy anywhere from three to twelve dollars online) and place three teaspoons of coarse coffee ground with chicory into the top of the phin. It is possible to make a phin from a filter and rubber band placed over the glass, but since they are not that expensive I would suggest investing in one.
- After that you will set the phin on top of the glass. Pour the hot water in the phin until it is a quarter filled. Replace the cover and allow the coffee to brew. This should take around six or seven minutes to filter through. Make sure the liquid is dripping and not pouring into the glass. If you find the Vietnamese coffee pouring into the glass, then you will need to adjust the filter in the phin. Allow the coffee to drip until it stops and remove the phin. Then you can either stir the coffee or allow the condensed milk to remain on the bottom, this is a preference thing and either way is fine.
Now, you have made an original version of Vietnamese coffee. The chicory that is mentioned above is a herb that does not contain any caffeine and adds flavor to the coffee. Some people prefer it and others do not like the taste. In order to stay with tradition, I suggest using the chicory.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to take your time. Vietnamese coffee is not intended to be rushed and taking your time will increase the flavor and quality of the coffee. After you make your first cup you can decide if you want to continue to use the chicory.
