Nuoc Mia — Vietnamese sugarcane juice — is the quintessential street refreshment of Vietnam, an intensely sweet, grassy drink that cuts through the tropical heat like nothing else. Pressed fresh from purple sugarcane and brightened with a squeeze of calamansi and a pinch of salt, it is the drink you reach for on a 95-degree Saigon afternoon when nothing else will do.

Ingredients

Classic Nuoc Mia

  • 400 ml sugarcane juice (store-bought or freshly pressed)
  • 2 kumquats or calamansi
  • Pinch of salt
  • Ice

Jackfruit Variation (Nuoc Mia Mit)

  • 400 ml sugarcane juice
  • 200 g jackfruit, seeded
  • 300 ml pineapple juice
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 kumquats
  • Pinch of salt
  • Roasted peanuts for garnish
  • White tapioca pearls for garnish
  • Ice

Instructions

1

Classic Version

Pour the sugarcane juice over a glass filled with ice. Squeeze in the juice of 2 kumquats or calamansi. Add a pinch of salt. Stir and serve immediately.

2

Jackfruit Variation

Separate the jackfruit pods and remove the seeds. Slice half into thin strands and half into small pieces. In a saucepan, combine the jackfruit pieces, pineapple juice, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Squeeze in one kumquat and turn off the heat. Let cool. Pour the jackfruit mixture into a glass, add ice, sugarcane juice, jackfruit strands, white tapioca pearls, and roasted peanuts. Serve immediately.

VNomy Notes

  • Fresh-pressed is ideal, bottled is fine. Most home cooks in the US will not own a sugarcane press, but bottled sugarcane juice from Asian grocery stores — check the refrigerated section at H Mart or your local Vietnamese market — works beautifully as a base.
  • Purple sugarcane is preferred. Called mia tim, it has a higher sugar content and more aromatic quality than green sugarcane. If you are buying fresh sugarcane at the market, look for the purple variety.
  • The salt is not optional. A tiny pinch of salt transforms the drink from cloyingly sweet to refreshingly balanced. It is the same principle as salted caramel.
  • Calamansi is the traditional citrus. If you cannot find calamansi or kumquats, use a mix of lime and a tiny bit of orange juice. The citrus cuts the sweetness and adds brightness.
  • The jackfruit variation is a showstopper. The golden jackfruit strands and tapioca pearls suspended in the pale green juice make a visually stunning drink. It is more of a dessert than a refreshment.
  • Salted lemon version (chanh muoi) is another classic. Preserved salted lemons are a staple of Vietnamese home kitchens. Muddle one with persimmon pulp, shake with sugarcane juice and ice, and serve with a salted apricot powder rim.
  • Some vendors add coconut water or condensed milk. Coconut water lightens the drink; condensed milk makes it richer. Both are optional but worth trying.