Vegan nut milk bubble tea: what the pearls are actually made of

What the pearls are made of

The pearls in a Nut Milk Bubble Tea at Banh Mi XANH are made from tapioca starch — cassava starch — mixed with sugar and cooked through. After cooking they sit in sugar syrup, which colours them and keeps them soft until they go into the glass. Nothing in that process involves gelatin, animal fat, egg or dairy. The pearls are therefore suitable for vegans, including full-time vegans.

What the "milk" is

The milk in the name is not cow's milk either. We use nut milk, made from soybean or cashew, mixed with the tea before the pearls go in. It is a little lighter than dairy but still enough to keep the tea from tasting watery. Both the Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 45,000d and the Brown Sugar Nut Milk Bubble Tea at 48,000d are made this way, with nothing animal-derived at any stage.

How brown sugar pearls differ

Brown sugar pearls carry an extra coating of brown sugar — cane sugar cooked down to a syrup — on the outside of each pearl. That coating gives a deeper flavour and the characteristic dark brown colour. The pearls in the standard bubble tea sit in a thinner syrup, taste lighter, and suit anyone who does not want it very sweet.

Do the pearls go hard if left?

Cooked pearls stay soft in syrup for a few hours only. We cook to the day's expected volume and never keep a batch overnight, so the pearls are still soft and chewy when they reach you.

Which drink goes with which banh mi

Each loaf tastes different, so the drink should follow the food rather than defaulting to bubble tea every time.

• Đậu Hũ Cay (56,000d): spicy — take Jasmine Lemon Tea (36,000d) or Nut Milk Coffee (45,000d) to settle the heat.
• Thập Cẩm (59,000d) or Chả Lát Chay (53,000d): savoury and layered — Black Coffee (35,000d) or Nut Milk Bubble Tea (45,000d).
• Bơ Đường (28,000d): gently sweet — in the morning most people take Black Coffee or Jasmine Lemon Tea so it does not cloy.
• Thượng Hạng Premium (75,000d, big size): a large loaf and a full meal — Brown Sugar Nut Milk Bubble Tea (48,000d) makes one order both the meal and the sweet finish.

If bubble tea is not for you, Jasmine Lemon Tea is the lighter, sharper choice and suits a hot lunchtime.

When to drink it

Banh Mi XANH is open 24 hours, so the hour usually depends on what you are doing rather than on any fixed schedule.

Morning

Black Coffee or Nut Milk Coffee suits anyone who needs to be awake before work. With a Bơ Đường or a Thập Cẩm that is a complete, compact breakfast.

Midday and afternoon

Jasmine Lemon Tea or Nut Milk Bubble Tea suit better here, carrying less caffeine than coffee, so an afternoon nap is still possible. This is also when people take one back to the office with lunch.

Evening and night shifts

For late shifts and late finishes, the Brown Sugar Nut Milk Bubble Tea is the familiar choice — moderately sweet, easy to drink, and fine without much ice. Black coffee is worth a second thought close to bedtime, since the caffeine is still there.

Bubble tea does carry sugar, plus starch from the pearls, so if you are watching sugar through the day, have it less often or take the version without the brown sugar coating. That is a note on balancing your own day, not medical advice.

Ordering and delivery

The five Banh Mi XANH shops are at 38 Lê Thị Riêng, 15B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, 2B Trần Hưng Đạo and 148B Đề Thám in District 1, and 210 Bùi Văn Ba in District 7. Orders from 500,000d within 5km are delivered free. To have banh mi and bubble tea sent to a home or office, call 0923.183.183. For a large group order, call a little ahead so the kitchen can prepare — particularly the pearls, which are cooked in batches through the day. The shops are open 24 hours, so someone takes the order whenever you call.

Quick questions

Do the pearls contain gelatin or anything animal-derived?

No. They are tapioca starch and sugar, cooked and then held in syrup. No gelatin, animal fat or egg — suitable for vegans.

What kind of milk is in it?

Not dairy. It is nut milk made from soybean or cashew, mixed into the tea before the pearls are added.

Which banh mi goes best with bubble tea?

The Thượng Hạng Premium or the Thập Cẩm, both savoury enough to want something sweet alongside. With the Đậu Hũ Cay, jasmine lemon tea settles the heat better.

Is delivery charged?

Orders from 500,000d within 5km are delivered free. For smaller or more distant orders, call 0923.183.183 for the fee.

Will the pearls harden if left too long?

They are cooked to the day's volume and never kept overnight, so they arrive soft. Left for a long time at room temperature, they will firm up like any tapioca pearl.

Is the brown sugar version sweeter?

Yes, because the pearls carry an extra brown sugar coating. For something lighter, take the standard nut milk bubble tea.