Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cafe Sua Da)
Thanks to two of my favorite bloggers WhiteOnRice and Wandering Chopsticks, I learned a few secrets to some great recipes that I shared on TV last month…come take a look at the video:
(by the way, ABC7 upgraded their video application, now it plays on both PCs and Mac!)
When you get to ABC’s site, click on FEATURED VIDEO right below recipe name.
Here’s what you need to make Vietnamese Iced Coffee, or Cafe Sua Da:
1) French roast medium coarse ground coffee: You can use any type of coffee really, many Vietnamese use Cafe Du Monde French Roast Chicory coffee, but as long as the coffee is medium coarse ground, you can use it. Fine ground coffee would fall right through the little holes of the coffee press.
2) Sweetened condensed milk: It’s the sweet, sticky, thick stuff - NOT evaporated milk! No substitutions here!
3) Vietnamese coffee press: Found at any Asian market - usually between $1.50 and $4.00. Here are some resources.
4) 2 glasses: one filled to the brim with ice.
***
Step 1: Add 2 tablespoons of sweetened condensed milk to a glass
Step 2: Add 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to the base of the coffee press
Note: if you want a much stronger coffee, Wandering Chopsticks recommends to wet the grounds just a bit to let them expand. About a spoonful of water should do the trick!
Step 3: Screw on the press tight. The coffee should be packed well.
Step 4: Pour boiling hot water into the coffee press.
Cover with its little hat.
Step 5: Wait. It will drip veeerrrry….veeerrrry slowly.
The longer it takes, the stronger the coffee. Notice that there are only a few drops per second. For me, I can’t wait any longer than 5 minutes. If the coffee is dripping too fast, then use a small spoon or tip of knife to screw the press on tighter, 1 turn clockwise. Or if it’s dripping too slow, unscrew 1 turn counterclockwise.
While it’s dripping, go get some ice in a glass. You’ve got nothing else to do!
Step 6: Once it’s finished, stir well.
You can set your coffee maker on top of its overturned lid to prevent dripping onto your nice table.
Step 7: Pour over ice and enjoy!
See how happy Vietnamese Iced Coffee makes me?
Thanks so much for the recipe! I always order the coffee when out at Vietnamese restaurants. Wish there were more in DC - the city, not the burbs!
This looks so refreshing. This is the second Vietnamese Iced Coffee recipe I’ve seen recently, so obviously it’s a sign I must try this out immediately
This is just like how the South Indians make coffee, except that they serve it with boiled milk rather than condensed milk, but also very very sweet. It is the best coffee I have ever tasted, so I will have to make it this way now.
I did a post on South Indian coffee if you are interested.
Thank you for the instructions. My Vietnamese friend gave me the press, the condensed milk and the coffee but the instructions were in Vietnamese! LOL!
Love, love, LOVE!!! Thank you!
That’s a yummylicious Ca phe sua da and Ca phe sua nong!!! I just ran out the coffee! Gorgeous photos as always!!!
Cheers
pixen
I recently re-visited Viet Nam; the first two trips were 40 and 37 years ago I did’t get to try this style of coffee then, but I made up for it on this trip.
Fantastic stuff. I brought back three of the coffee makers and a couple pounds of coffee and my morning routine includes an ounce of ca phe sua.
Though my wife and some of my friends classify me as a “coffee snob”, I’m not really a snob, but I know what I like.
In order to make this right, I believe you must use a real Vietnamese roast…I’ve experimented with others and though the New Orleans coffees make a suitable substitue, it just doesn’t have the same flavor.
Vietnamese coffees are available here in the states (most orietal markets carry it) and is worth the effort to find some. Some stores carry the coffee filters and are cheap.
If you haven’t tried it, I think you’re missing a real coffee lovers delight.