Tra Chanh Hanoi: Vietnamese Lime Iced Tea Recipe

If you are looking for a unique and refreshing drink, look no further than Tra Chanh Hanoi. This Vietnamese Lime Iced Tea is popular on Hanoi’s streets and a great way to cool down during the hot summer months. Here we will discuss the ingredients and how to make this delicious iced tea with lime.

Discovering Tra Chanh on the Streets of Hanoi

One of my first trips to Hanoi was during the middle of summer, and the heat was almost unbearable. Hanoi may have had unseasonably hot weather that year, but we would need to find a place to have a cool drink on every trip out of the hotel. 

And it was during this trip to Hanoi that I discovered Tra Chanh and how much of a popular Vietnamese drink it is among the young people of Vietnam’s capital city.

And although there are many types of tea available on the streets of Hanoi, Vietnamese lime iced tea became a strong memory of Hanoi, just like Bun Cha Hanoi and Bun Bo Nam Bo did. 

Making Vietnamese Iced Green Tea with Lime

Tra Chanh Hanoi, or Vietnamese Lime Iced Tea, is a sweet and sour drink with a hint of bitterness. As with most drinks in Vietnam, and food dishes for that matter, exact ingredients, flavors, and proportions will differ depending on the vendor.

When I make this refreshing drink at home, I usually use green tea, as most vendors do in Hanoi, but that will depend on where I am and what time of day it is; I’m more likely to use black tea in the morning and green tea in the afternoon.

And when I’m down in our Mekong Delta property, it will be a fragrant tea such as Chrysanthemum or Lotus tea, as we always have a pot on the go for visitors.

Ingredients for Tra Chanh Hanoi

There are just a handful of ingredients for this Vietnamese lime iced tea (Tra Chanh Hanoi)

• Green Tea – made using tea bags or loose-leaf tea
• Sugar (or another sweetener such as honey)
• Lime juice 
• Water
• Ice cubes

Making Vietnamese Iced Green Tea with Lime

To make Tra Chanh for two, start by steeping two green tea bags in about 800 ml of hot water. After 5 minutes or so, add sugar and stir to dissolve. Squeeze the lime juice out of the limes and add to the tea. Once cooled, pour into a glass filled with ice.

Serve with a small bowl of nibbles such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Summary of Iced Lime Tea

If you enjoyed the unique and refreshing taste of Tra Chanh, iced green tea with lime, then you may like the following:

• Refreshing Lychee Juice
• Sparkling Watermelon Lychee Cocktail
• Pineapple Slushy