Vietnamese yogurt coffee (sữa chua cà phê)

Vietnamese yogurt coffee, sữa chua cà phê, is tangy, lightly sweet yogurt topped with strong phin coffee, usually served over crushed ice. It tastes like a cross between iced coffee and a frozen yogurt dessert, with a tart edge that keeps it from being too rich.

It's a café drink you can also find as a snack, sometimes eaten with a spoon rather than sipped.

What does "sữa chua cà phê" mean?

• sữa: milk
• chua: sour
• sữa chua: yogurt, literally "sour milk"
• cà phê: coffee

Pronunciation: roughly "soo-uh choo-uh kah feh". Sữa has the ngã tone (a broken rise), chua is level.

In the South, yogurt is often called da-ua or ya-ua, a word that comes from the French "yaourt". So you may also see this drink as "da-ua cà phê" on Southern menus.

What is Vietnamese yogurt like?

Homemade Vietnamese yogurt is usually made with sweetened condensed milk, so it's sweeter, softer and creamier than plain American yogurt. It's often set in small jars or cups and eaten chilled or even frozen. That sweet-tart flavor is what makes it pair so well with bitter coffee.

If you can't find Vietnamese yogurt, you can get close by stirring condensed milk into plain yogurt, as in the recipe below.

Ingredients for one glass

• 1/2 cup (about 120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt (or Vietnamese-style yogurt, if available)
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons (15 to 25 ml) sweetened condensed milk, to taste
• 2 tablespoons (about 15 g) dark-roast ground coffee, brewed in a phin to make about 1/3 cup (80 ml) strong coffee
• 1 cup (about 140 g) crushed ice
• Optional: 1 teaspoon sugar for the coffee

Allergen note: contains dairy. Plain Greek yogurt works but is thicker and tangier, so you may want a little more condensed milk.

Steps

1. Brew the coffee. Make a strong phin coffee. Stir in sugar if you like it sweeter. Let it cool for a few minutes. See how to use a phin filter if needed.

2. Sweeten the yogurt. In a bowl, stir the condensed milk into the yogurt until smooth. Taste: it should be sweet-tart, like a dessert yogurt.

3. Build the glass. Spoon the yogurt into the bottom of a glass. Add crushed ice on top.

4. Pour the coffee. Slowly pour the coffee over the ice. It will trickle down and form a dark layer above the white yogurt.

5. Serve. Stir before drinking, or eat it with a long spoon, mixing as you go.

Tips for the best result

• Use whole-milk yogurt. Low-fat yogurt can taste thin and sharp against the coffee.
• Crushed ice is traditional. It turns the drink slushy and spoonable. Cubes work but give a thinner drink.
• Cool the coffee slightly. Very hot coffee can make yogurt separate.
• Adjust tang. If it tastes too sour, add more condensed milk. If it's too sweet, add a spoonful of plain yogurt.

Variations

• Frozen yogurt version: freeze the sweetened yogurt in small cups, then break it into chunks and top with coffee and crushed ice.
• With toppings: some cafés add chewy jellies or tapioca pearls. Trân châu (tapioca pearls) are a common add-on in Vietnamese drink shops.
• Blended: blend the yogurt, coffee and ice together for a smoothie-style drink.
• Fruit twist: a few slices of mango or a spoonful of fruit purée under the yogurt add brightness.

Making Vietnamese-style yogurt at home

If you want to go further, Vietnamese-style yogurt is typically made by warming milk with condensed milk, cooling it to lukewarm, stirring in a spoonful of plain yogurt with live cultures as a starter, and keeping it warm until it sets, often several hours. Food safety matters with homemade yogurt: use clean jars, keep milk at safe temperatures and refrigerate it once set. If you're new to yogurt-making, follow a tested recipe for exact times and temperatures.

How it compares with other Vietnamese coffees

Yogurt coffee is lighter and tangier than coconut coffee and far less heavy than egg coffee. If you like iced coffee but find condensed milk too rich, this is a refreshing middle ground.

Taste the sweetened yogurt before adding the coffee; getting that balance right is what makes the drink.