Fresh hot soy milk
Sữa đậu nành: Da Lat's pandan-scented soy milk, made from scratch and drunk steaming hot (plus overnight soaking)
On cold Da Lat nights, the steam rising from soy milk stalls is part of the scenery around the central market: big pots of freshly made sữa đậu nành, ladled hot into glasses and sipped with grilled rice paper or a warm bánh bao. Made at home, it tastes nutty and clean, nothing like the cartons, and a knot of pandan leaf gives it the gentle vanilla-like scent that Vietnamese sellers favour. Chef's tip: rub the soaked beans between your palms and float off the skins; peeled beans give a smoother, sweeter milk.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain 7 oz dried soybeans; they should have doubled in size. Rub them between your hands in a bowl of water so the skins slip off and float, then tip the skins away. A few left on is fine.
Step 2: Blend the beans with half of 6 ¾ cups water for 2 minutes until very smooth and frothy. Pour through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a nut-milk bag into a large pot.
Step 3: Return the pulp to the blender with the rest of the water, blend for 30 seconds and strain again. Squeeze the bag hard to get every drop out.
Step 4: Add 3 pandan leaves and bring the milk slowly to the boil over a medium heat, stirring the bottom all the time with a flat spatula; soy milk catches easily. Watch it as it nears the boil: it foams up suddenly, so lower the heat at once.
10 minStep 5: Simmer gently over a low heat for 15 minutes, still stirring the bottom every minute or so, and skim off the foam. Common mistake: taking it off the heat as soon as it first boils; under-cooked soy milk tastes raw and beany and is harder to digest.
15 minStep 6: Lift out the pandan and stir in 2 ⅛ oz sugar and 1 pinch salt until dissolved. Serve hot in glasses, or cool and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, reheating to steaming before drinking.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fresh hot soy milk take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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