A taste of Vietnam in a glass
Spring has truly sprung! We had another glorious day here in Kent – UK, for a change. On days like this, I always find myself in the mood to make a refreshing drink or a light pudding. Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk instantly came to mind.
Have you ever heard of it? This popular street drink in Vietnam is a favourite among locals and tourists alike. You’ll find it everywhere, from humble street stalls to trendy bubble tea shops. It’s loved for its mild sweetness, creamy texture and the crunchy-yet-slimy pandan jelly that adds an irresistible touch. What’s better than a chilled glass of Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk on a warm and sunny day?
As always, I love recreating my favourite shop-bought drinks at home. There’s nothing more satisfying than being able to tweak the recipe to suit your taste – plus, you get full control over the ingredients!
This drink has two main components: corn milk and pandan jelly. If you’re not a jelly fan, you can skip that part and just enjoy the corn milk, but trust me – it’s worth trying the full version at least once!
How to make Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk
Make the Pandan Jelly
I always start by making the pandan jelly, as it needs time to set. It’s super simple and requires just a handful of ingredients:
- Pandan leaves – You’ll need a good amount to get that famous fragrant aroma and vibrant green colour. If you have pandan extract, you can add a little for extra depth. A tip I’ve learnt is that blanching the leaves in boiling water for around 20 seconds before blending helps release the fragrance and intensifies the colour.
- Caster sugar – Just enough to give the jelly a subtle sweetness.
- Water – To blend the pandan leaves.
- Agar powder – I use the vegetarian one, which always gives my puddings the perfect consistency.
To make the pandan jelly, start by blanching the pandan leaves in boiling water for 20 seconds, then remove them. Let the water cool slightly before blending the leaves with it. If you prefer, you can skip the blanching step and blend the pandan leaves with fresh water instead. Once blended, strain the liquid through a sieve and squeeze out as much juice as possible.
Pour the pandan juice back into a pot, add 50g of sugar and two teaspoons of agar powder, then bring it to a boil while stirring constantly. Once it reaches boiling point, lower the heat and let it simmer for another minute. Remove the pot from the heat and transfer the mixture to a glass tray. Let it cool before placing it in the fridge to set for at least a couple of hours.
Make the Corn Milk
Now, onto the fun bit – making the corn milk. It’s much easier than you think.
Ingredients for corn milk:
- 4 fresh sweetcorn
- 1.2 litres of water
- 500ml whole milk (or substitute with coconut, soy or almond milk)
- A few tablespoons of condensed milk (adjust to taste)
To prepare the corn milk, rinse the sweetcorn thoroughly and use a sharp knife to slice the kernels off the cobs. Chop the cobs into smaller pieces and place everything into a pot with 1.2 litres of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool slightly before blending everything, including the cobs, for about a minute or until it reaches a fine texture.
Strain the mixture through a muslin or cheesecloth into a clean pot, squeezing out every last drop of the corn goodness. You should end up with around 1 litre of corn milk.
Now, depending on your dietary preference, you can add whole milk, coconut milk, soy milk or almond milk. For the classic version, I like to use 500ml of whole milk.
The last step is adding condensed milk. The amount is entirely up to you—start with one tablespoon and adjust to taste. I add four to mine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately turn off the heat. Let it cool before transferring it to the fridge if you prefer to serve it chilled.
Assemble the Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk
Once the pandan jelly has set, cut it into thin strips and add it to a glass. Pour the chilled corn milk over the top.
Now, all that’s left to do is sit back and enjoy this slightly sweet, creamy, full-of corn-flavour drink with refreshing, crunchy and slimy pandan jelly. Could this be your new favourite drink or pudding this summer?
Give it a try and let me know!
If you enjoyed this refreshing treat, why not try some of my other light and cooling puddings, perfect for spring and summer?
Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail Pudding
Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk Recipe (Sữa Bắp Lá Dứa)
Description
Vietnamese Pandan Corn Milk is a creamy, slightly sweet drink made from fresh sweetcorn and fragrant pandan jelly. Refreshing and full of natural flavours, it's the perfect treat for warm days!
Ingredients
For the Pandan Jelly
For the Corn Milk
Instructions
-
Make the Pandan Jelly
- Blanch pandan leaves in boiling water for 20 seconds, then blend with water.
- Strain the pandan mixture through a sieve, squeezing out as much juice as possible.
- In a pot, combine pandan juice, sugar and agar powder. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute before removing from heat.
- Pour into a tray and let it cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
-
Make the Corn Milk
- Rinse sweetcorn and slice kernels off the cobs. Cut cobs into smaller pieces.
- In a pot, add corn kernels, cob pieces and 1.2 litres of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cool slightly, then blend everything (including cobs) until smooth.
- Strain through a muslin cloth into a clean pot, squeezing out all liquid.
- Stir in whole milk (or alternative milk) and condensed milk. Adjust sweetness to taste.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Refrigerate if serving chilled.
-
Assemble the Drink
- Slice pandan jelly into thin strips and place in a glass.
- Pour chilled corn milk over the jelly.
- Stir, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 169.43kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 4.45g7%
- Saturated Fat 2.11g11%
- Cholesterol 9.69mg4%
- Sodium 57.89mg3%
- Potassium 312.19mg9%
- Total Carbohydrate 31.6g11%
- Dietary Fiber 3.65g15%
- Sugars 17.88g
- Protein 5.21g11%
- Vitamin A 72.21 IU
- Vitamin C 8.36 mg
- Calcium 190.68 mg
- Iron 4.61 mg
- Vitamin D 0.85 IU
- Vitamin E 0.09 IU
- Vitamin K 0.41 mcg
- Thiamin 0.11 mg
- Riboflavin 0.22 mg
- Niacin 1.18 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.24 mg
- Folate 44.05 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.33 mcg
- Phosphorus 135.01 mg
- Magnesium 42.08 mg
- Zinc 0.95 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Dairy-free option: Use coconut milk, almond milk or soy milk instead of whole milk.
- Sweetness: Adjust condensed milk to taste or replace it with sugar, honey or a sweetener of choice.
- Pandan alternative: If fresh pandan leaves aren't available, use pandan extract or skip the jelly for a simpler version.
