What is Sữa Chua/Da Ua?
Vietnamese yogurt is called Sữa Chua or Da Ua. The word “sữa” means “milk” and the word “chua” means “sour”. So, sữa chua literally means “sour milk”. Vietnamese yogurt is also known as Da Ua, which is a transliteration of the French word Yaourt.
Vietnamese yogurt has a silky, smooth, and soft custard texture with a wonderful balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
It is made with sweetened condensed milk, which gives it its signature flavor and Vietnamese flair. This sweetness sets Vietnamese yogurt apart from other yogurts, which tend to be more tart.
Traditionally, Vietnamese yogurt is made in a clay pot and carefully monitored to maintain the correct temperature. However, it can also be easily and more efficiently made in an Instant Pot.
Yogurt to Make Yogurt? Ha!
In this recipe, we will make Vietnamese yogurt using a small amount of existing yogurt as a starter culture.
Yes, it’s funny that to make yogurt, we need yogurt. But think of how we make sourdough bread and kombucha.
Yogurt works the same way by using a bit of the previous batch. It’s the easiest and quickest way to get the bacteria that will turn milk into lactic acid to get yogurt.
If you want to do it entirely from scratch, you can use store-bought dehydrated culture starter which will require activation or you can attempt to naturally grow the bacteria yourself.
Instant Pot
I’m using an Instant Pot in this recipe. If your Instant Pot has a yogurt option, that’s great! The yogurt option is programmed to the right temperature and time to eliminate any guesswork.
If you don’t have the yogurt option on your Instant Pot, no problem. You can set the Instant Pot to the Sous Vide option, or any other option that allows you to set a temperature and time.
Ideal Temperature to Make Yogurt
The yogurt-making bacteria thrives at 110°F. If it’s too hot, the bacteria dies. If it’s too cold, they don’t work fast enough before the milk spoils. My yogurt was perfect after 8 hours at 110°F.
What You Will Need
Vietnamese yogurt is made with just three simple ingredients. You will need:
Whole milk — The fat content in whole milk gives Vietnamese yogurt its rich and creamy texture.
Sweetened condensed milk — Sweetened condensed milk is the sweetener for the yogurt. It may seem like a lot at first, but when the milk turns sour, the sweetness will counterbalance the sourness.
A small amount of plain yogurt — This is used as the yogurt starter. It has live active cultures that will turn the milk into yogurt. For the best possible result, use a single-serving yogurt from the refrigerated section. This way, you can ensure the yogurt is fresh with the essential yogurt-making bacteria, alive and active.