Dragonfruit & mango dalgona are Vietnam’s new trendy drinks
Dalgona, a foamy coffee originating from South Korea, is the new bubble tea in Southeast Asia. Everywhere you look, be it Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you can see this lovely, photogenic beverage taking over.
And since most people are stuck at home right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many have taken up the dalgona challenge where they try to recreate this trendy beverage at home to pass their free time.
Some succeed, while others hilariously fail, but this Vietnamese chef has taken things up a notch and invented new dalgona recipes using dragonfruit and mango instead of the usual coffee. The result is magnificent!
Homemade dragonfruit and mango dalgona drinks
On YÊU BẾP NGHIỆN NHÀ, a popular Facebook page where Vietnamese go to post their home cooking accomplishments, an user named Dung Duong – Sophie shared pictures of her lovely dragonfruit dalgona drink, which has left many netizens drooling.
Dragonfruit dalgona
Image credit: Dung Duong – Sophie
The drink, made from fresh fruits, is complemented by dragonfruit-flavored pearls, which are of course also homemade.
Mango dalgona, made with the same recipe
Video credit: Dung Duong – Sophie
She’s also shared a photo of her mango dalgona drink – in a perfect creamy light yellow shade.
Many people have commented on Sophie’s post to ask for the recipe, and she was generous enough to share it. Being a chef with her own cooking channel, Sophie has even made a detailed video showing how to do it.
So, without further ado, here is how you can make your own dragonfruit or mango dalgona:
The fruit dalgona recipe
The ingredients you need for the dalgona
Image credit: Jun Jun – Bếp Vui Vẻ
This recipe is the same for dragonfruit or mango dalgona– you just need one dragonfruit, or alternatively, one mango.
For the ingredients, you are going to need:
- A dragonfruit or a mango, peeled and blended
- 2 egg whites
- Sugar
- Plain milk
- Tapioca flour
For the cream, first put the egg whites in a ceramic or glass bowl and add 45G (about 3 tablespoons) of sugar, then stir it to dissolve the sugar.
Next, put the entire bowl of egg whites into a pot of boiling water and continue to stir to remove the smell, but be careful not to let the water get inside the egg bowl.
This is why you must put the egg in a ceramic or glass bowl, because according to Sophie, an aluminum or plastic bowl transfers the heat too quickly, meaning the egg will be too well-done and won’t create a foamy texture when whisked.
You mustn’t undercook the egg either, as that would result in a lingering smell. 2 minutes is the ideal time, Sophie advised.
Cook the egg whites to remove the smell. The ideal time is 2 minutes
Image credit: Jun Jun – Bếp Vui Vẻ
Then, whisk the egg whites, ideally with an egg beater machine, to create a white cream.
Pour in half of the mango or dragonfruit and add 45G of sugar, then continue to whisk until everything blends together. Put the mix in the fridge to let it rest while we make the pearls.
Mix the blended fruit with the whisked egg whites
Image credit: Jun Jun – Bếp Vui Vẻ
For the pearls, cook the remaining amount of blended fruit until they simmer, pour them into a bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of tapioca flour.
Stir to create a dough, then cut the dough into small pieces and roll them into pearls.
Cook the pearls in boiling water until they float – and keep stirring to prevent them from sticking together. Then take them out and let them rest at room temperature water for a bit, then dry them.
Video credit: Dung Duong – Sophie
To add a degree of sweetness, add 80G of sugar into 50ML of water, cook the solution until it simmers, then pour it over the pearls.
And finally, put the pearls in milk, add ice to your liking, and then put the cream on top, and you’ve got yourself a beautiful and delicious homemade dalgona.
Time to get into the kitchen
If you have a mind to jump onto the dalgona challenge bandwagon, follow these steps for a non-mainstream take on this popular drink.
And perhaps, you can enjoy it with a dragonfruit bánh mì.
For more stories, check out:
- Vietnamese share hilarious cooking fails
- 9 Vietnamese deserts
- 11 different types of bánh mì in HCMC
Cover image adapted from: Jun Jun – Bếp Vui Vẻ, Dung Duong – Sophie
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