Ingredients
Milk
- 1 tin(400 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 400 mlboiling water
- 800 mlwhole milk, warm
- 3 tbsplive plain yoghurt, at room temperature
To serve
- black sticky rice
- coffee, for sữa chua cà phê
- or frozen, in a bag
Directions
- Empty the condensed milk into a large jug and whisk in the boiling water until completely smooth.
- Whisk in the warm milk. Check the temperature: it must be at 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F) before the starter goes anywhere near it.
- Anything above 50°C (122°F) kills the culture outright and you get warm sweet milk that never sets. This is the single reason home batches fail.
- Bring the starter yoghurt to room temperature first and loosen it with a ladle of the warm milk, then whisk it back through. Cold yoghurt straight from the fridge drops the temperature and sets unevenly.
- Strain the mixture through a sieve into small glass jars or pots.
- Stand the pots in a deep tray, pour warm water at 45°C (113°F) around them to two-thirds of their height, and cover the whole tray with a lid or a thick towel.
- Leave undisturbed for six to eight hours. Do not move or tilt the pots while they set.
- It is ready when it holds a clean edge as you tilt a pot and tastes gently sour behind the sweetness.
- Refrigerate at least four hours before eating. It keeps a week.
- Eat cold with black sticky rice, poured over strong coffee, or frozen in a plastic bag and squeezed out — which is how it is sold on the street in summer.
Technique
- 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F) when the starter goes in. Measure it.
- Room-temperature starter, loosened first.
- Do not disturb the pots while they set.
Substitutions
- A rice cooker on the keep-warm setting, or an oven with only the light on.
- Fresh milk alone with sugar, though condensed milk is what makes it Vietnamese.
- Keep three tablespoons back to start the next batch.
Variations
- Sữa chua nếp cẩm, layered over fermented black sticky rice.
- Sữa chua đánh đá — blended with ice and fruit into a slush.
History
French colonial dairy habits left yoghurt behind; Vietnamese versions use condensed milk because fresh milk was scarce in the tropics.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sua Chua?
Sua Chua is a cheese & dairy from Vietnam: set yoghurt of condensed milk, eaten frozen or with black sticky rice. French colonial dairy habits left yoghurt behind; Vietnamese versions use condensed milk because fresh milk was scarce in the tropics.
How long does Sua Chua take to make?
Sua Chua takes 15 min plus 6 to 8 hours setting of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes makes 8 small pots. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Sua Chua?
Yes, within limits. A rice cooker on the keep-warm setting, or an oven with only the light on. Fresh milk alone with sugar, though condensed milk is what makes it Vietnamese. Keep three tablespoons back to start the next batch.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sua Chua?
Whisk in the warm milk. Check the temperature: it must be at 40 to 45°C (104 to 113°F) before the starter goes anywhere near it.
