Vietnamese Coffee : a special style of making a cup coffee

Vietnamese Coffee

Vietnamese Coffee is as much fun to make as it is to watch. A real treat, especially for those who enjoy their coffee strong and sweet.

What is a Vietnamese Filter?

A Vietnamese filter is a small coffee pot. It looks like a hat and sits upon the top of a coffee cup. Inside is a chamber for coffee and room for hot water. It is very basic and simple, and works.

What do I need?

A Vietnamese filter, coffee (optionally with chicory), and condensed milk. Condensed milk typically contains sugar and is heat processed with steam. Steamed milk has different physics from non-steamed milk and tastes better when used in coffee (ask any cappuccino drinker).

Step 1: Put about 1/3 of an inch of condensed milk in the bottom of a coffee cup. I prefer a glass cup since this is cool to watch! If you store the condensed milk in the refrigerator, it will get very thick but still work fine, and your coffee will not be as hot.

Add milk

Step 2: Open the device and unscrew to remove the filter's top screen.

Vietnamese Coffee Filter

Step 3: Place three rounded teaspoons of coffee with chicory OR three and a half rounded teaspoons of coffee into the device. Replace the screen and turn it until it starts to get snug. This takes a bit of practice but note, it should not be "tight" but snug.

Add Coffee

Step 4: Place the filter on top of the coffee cup. Pour hot water into the device until it is about 1/4 full. Wait 20 seconds (yes, look at the clock). If all the water flows through in the time, you need to tighten the filter more.

Pour Hot Water

Step 5: Unscrew the filter two complete turns. If it is too tight, you can typically use a quarter as a screw driver. Only loosen it two turns (but not less, either!).

Setup Filter

Step 6: Fill the filter with hot water. Place the cover on and wait. Typically about 5 minutes. The water should notstream through, it should drip.

Coffee Brewing In Progress

Step 7: When the dripping stops (i.e., all the water has passed through the filter), carefully remove the device, set aside, and start to enjoy. Personally, I stir up all the condensed milk, others leave it for the end.

Finished Brewing