Trà đá: why Vietnamese restaurants serve iced tea

Trà đá (say "chah dah") is simple Vietnamese iced tea: lightly brewed green or jasmine tea poured over ice, usually without sugar. Vietnamese restaurants serve it because it's the everyday drink with a meal, a cheap, refreshing way to cool down and cleanse the palate between bites of rich, salty or spicy food.

Here's what it is, why it's so common, and how to make a big pitcher at home.

What does "trà đá" mean?

Trà means "tea" and đá means "ice" (it also means "stone"). Put together, trà đá is literally "tea ice," or iced tea. The tr in trà sounds like "ch" in Northern speech and closer to "tr" in many Southern accents. Some people in the North say chè for tea, where chè can mean both the tea plant and the drink. Be aware that in most of the country, chè more often means a sweet dessert soup, so context matters.

What tea is used?

Trà đá is usually made from inexpensive green tea or jasmine-scented tea. It's brewed fairly light, so it tastes clean and slightly grassy or floral rather than strong or bitter. Some places use other leaves or blends, and the flavor varies a lot from shop to shop.

Unlike Thai iced tea or bubble tea, trà đá is not sweet and has no milk. It's closer to the unsweetened iced green tea you might find in a Japanese restaurant, but more casual.

Why restaurants serve it

A few reasons trà đá is everywhere:

• It goes with everything. Light tea refreshes your mouth between bites of fish sauce, grilled meat or chili.
• It's cooling. Much of Vietnam is hot and humid, and a cold drink is welcome year-round in the South.
• It's cheap. In Vietnam, many places bring it automatically, and it's often free or very inexpensive with a meal.
• It's habit. For many people, a glass of iced tea is simply part of eating out.

In Vietnamese restaurants abroad, you'll often see it served the same way, sometimes as hot tea in a pot instead.

Sidewalk tea culture

In Hanoi especially, trà đá vỉa hè ("sidewalk iced tea") is its own small institution. Vendors set up low plastic stools and a few glasses on the pavement, and people stop to sit, sip, snack on sunflower seeds and chat. It's a place for gossip, people-watching and taking a break. For more on that scene, see plastic stools and sidewalk life in Vietnam.

How to order it

At a Vietnamese restaurant, you can simply ask:

• Cho tôi một ly trà đá. "Give me a glass of iced tea." (Ly is "glass," common in the South; in the North you may hear cốc.)
• Trà đá không đường. Unsweetened iced tea, though trà đá is usually unsweetened anyway.
• Trà nóng. Hot tea.

How to make trà đá at home

This makes about 2 quarts (2 liters), enough for a family meal. Prep time is about 10 minutes, plus cooling.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons loose green tea or jasmine tea, or 4 to 5 tea bags
• 8 cups (about 2 liters) water, divided
• Lots of ice

Steps

1. Heat 4 cups (1 liter) of the water until it's hot but not boiling, around 175 to 185°F (80 to 85°C). If you don't have a thermometer, bring it to a boil and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Boiling water can make green tea bitter.
2. Pour the hot water over the tea and steep for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste after 2 minutes. You want it light, not strong.
3. Strain out the leaves or remove the tea bags.
4. Add the remaining 4 cups (1 liter) of cold water to dilute and cool the tea.
5. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate.
6. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice.

Tips: Jasmine tea gives a floral, restaurant-style flavor. If it tastes bitter, steep for less time or use cooler water next time. Freshly made tea tastes best; drink it within a day or two.

Trà đá vs other Vietnamese drinks

Trà đá is the plain, everyday option. If you want something sweeter, Vietnam has plenty: iced coffee with condensed milk, sugarcane juice, and fruit smoothies. See nước mía: Vietnamese sugarcane juice or how to make cà phê sữa đá.

A note on caffeine

Green and jasmine tea contain caffeine, though a light brew has less than coffee. If you're sensitive to caffeine, drink it earlier in the day or try a caffeine-free herbal tea instead.

Brew a pitcher of jasmine tea before your next homemade Vietnamese dinner and serve it over ice; it's the easiest way to make the meal feel complete.