Watermelon Smoothie - Sinh To Dua Hau

The fruit smoothie culture in Vietnam is comparable to our beer culture here in Australia. Both are incredibly popular beverages with an endless variety of flavours and consumed regularly for respite from the warm climate. However, because of Vietnam’s tropical climate, fruits such as guavas, mangosteens, mangoes and watermelons vare the most prominent smoothie flavours.

Watermelons on this list may be a surprise to some but they grow very favourably in hot and dry regions and contain higher sugar contents. In Australia they’re mostly used for crushes and juices but a ripe watermelon makes for the most sweet and refreshing drink when combined with condensed milk (stay with me!), yogurt and ice.

When traveling through Vietnam you’ll quickly notice that condensed milk is typically used as a sweetener, and its sweet, rich and creamy profile can be found in many desserts and beverages. A few examples include: Vietnamese iced coffee, Vietnamese mango smoothies and white sesame donuts.

The other thing you’ll notice is the minimal use of fridges and freezers but, the abundance of ice. On a trip in my late 20s, I reconnected with a high school friend who had studied in Australia, his family operate an ice manufacturing business and shed light on the reliance of ice in Vietnam. Ice is used everywhere from the markets to the home to keep groceries fresh, and by the restaurants and street vendors that service Vietnam’s beverage culture. Tall glasses are frequently topped with ice to fuel Vietnam’s iced coffee, beers and of course fruit smoothies.

Along with condensed milk and ice, during the trip I was also surprised by the large consumption of natural yoghurt. Da ua (Vietnamese yoghurt) is a popular sweet snack in Vietnamese households which incorporates plain natural yoghurt with milk and condensed milk.

When you combine these three ingredients with watermelon and a banana, the result is a refreshing smoothie that is rich in watermelon flavour, slightly tart and creamy all in one sip. If you have a large watermelon sitting at home or have purchased a ripe watermelon, do yourself a favour and give this recipe a whirl to experience these incredible flavours.