Ms. Lê Thị Ánh Trinh
On hot days, there's nothing better than making for yourself a cool, creamy cup of nata de coco milk tea. This refreshing dish makes a perfect treat for the whole family, thanks to its gentle sweetness, fragrant tea notes, and the crunchy texture of nata de coco. GC Food will show you how to make this drink at home.
1. Prepare ingredients
Before starting to make nata de coco (coconut jelly) milk tea, you need to prepare all the necessary ingredients and tools below:
Black tea or tea bags: 3 to 5 bags (equivalent to 60 - 70g dry tea).
Boiling water: About 2 liters.
Condensed milk: 1 can (sweetened).
Fresh milk: 400 - 600ml, depending on the fat content you want.
Sugar: 3 to 4 tablespoons (can be adjusted to taste).
Non-dairy creamer (optional): 100g
Fresh coconut meat: 1 coconut (grated or diced).
Coconut water: From 1-2 coconuts (used for brewing tea).
Tapioca starch: 300g.
Cold water: ~ 1 liter.
Large pot (used to cook jelly and milk tea)
Jelly mold or clean plastic box
Glass cup, stirring spoon
Filter and large bowl
You should prioritize buying nata de coco from reputable brands, as they follow high quality standards and strict food safety practices. GC Food always commits to integrity in producing happiness in food, ensuring that coconut jelly meets high-quality standards.
2. How to make chewy and crunchy coconut jelly
To create chewy, slightly fatty coconut jelly pieces with the natural aroma of fresh coconut water, you can follow these 4 steps:
2.1. Step 1: Cut and coat the nata de coco with flour
Cut the coconut meat into small cubes (approximately 1 to 2 cm, depending on your preference).
Place the cubes in a bowl, and sprinkle a bit of water on top to create moisture.
Add tapioca starch, mix well until each piece of coconut is coated with flour and no longer sticks to your hands.
If you like it to look nice, you can roll each piece of coconut into a small ball.
2.2. Step 2: Boil coconut jelly
Bring a large pot of water to boil.
Add the coated coconut rice and cook, stirr gently to prevent sticking.
When the jelly floats to the surface of the water and becomes clear, it is done.
Take the cooked jelly out and place it in a bowl of ice water to keep it crispy and prevent the jelly from sticking together.
2.3. Step 3: Marinate the jelly with sugar
After cooling, remove the jelly and drain, then add sugar and marinate lightly. Mix well to let the jelly absorb the sweetness and have a beautiful shine.
3. How to make creamy and fragrant milk tea from coconut water
After finishing making nata de coco, quickly move on to making milk tea.
3.1. Step 1: Make the tea
Boil about 2 liters of coconut water (or filtered water).
Let the tea steep for 15 minutes (no more than 20 minutes) to release all the flavor and color of the tea.
Filter out the tea leaves (if you use regular tea) or remove the tea bag (if you use tea bags), keeping only the clear and flavorful essence.
3.2. Step 2: Prepare the milk base
While the tea is still warm, pour in 1 can of condensed milk and stir well with a spoon/ladle.
Add 100g of cream powder (or fresh milk) to create a rich taste for the drink.
Finally, add sugar (to taste) and continue stirring until dissolved.
Let the milk tea cool and put it in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours to cool completely.
Tip: Instead of pouring ice directly into the glass, you should cool it slowly by placing the milk teapot in a bowl of ice water. This step will prevent the milk tea from becoming diluted and retain its characteristic creamy flavor.
3.3. Make and enjoy nata de coco milk tea
Add a few spoons of GC Food coconut jelly and the cooked coconut jelly in step 2 into the glass.
Add ice cubes (if you want to drink chilled milk tea, you can skip this step).
Pour the milk tea on top, stir gently.
You can add jelly, prevent the milk tea from becoming diluted... or add other favorite toppings to drink together.
If you follow the recipe above, you will immediately have a cup of light brown coconut jelly milk tea mixed with crunchy nata de coco pieces. When drinking, you will feel the cool taste of coconut water, mixed with the rich taste of milk and the unforgettable rich aroma of tea, extremely refreshing.
4. A few small notes to know when making nata de coco milk tea at home
To make your homemade nata de coco milk tea as flavorful and perfect as possible, don't miss these useful tips:
You should choose fresh young coconuts to make coconut tapioca pearls. This type has a natural thickness and crunchiness, making it more delicious when making coconut pearls. When coating with tapioca starch, you should not add too much water to prevent the coated cubes from sticking together. The powder only needs to be moist enough to lightly adhere to the coconut meat.
Do not steep or boil tea for too long because the tea can easily become bitter, which will ruin the taste of the milk tea.
If you want a lighter milk tea flavor, you can replace black tea with oolong tea or green tea.
You can replace condensed milk and regular fresh milk with nut milks like almond milk or oat milk to control your weight.
In addition to pearl coconut jelly, you can combine other toppings such as tea jelly or black sesame jelly to make the drink more unique and attractive.
The cooked milk tea should be cooled completely and then put into a sealed box/bottle, stored in the refrigerator and best consumed within 2-3 days.
Coconut jelly and coconut tapioca should be kept separately in a sealed box and consumed within 1 day to maintain the best chewiness and freshness.
Nata de coco milk tea is not only a refreshing drink, but also a small gift to help you enjoy the natural, refreshing flavor every day. With just a few simple ingredients and quality coconut jelly from GC Food, you can make your own cup of fragrant and creamy milk tea right in your own kitchen.
If you love refreshing drinks from coconut, you can learn more about natural coconut jellies in the Introduction to GC Food section.
This article was compiled by the GC Food Team - Experts in natural ingredients
