Many beverage shops in Ho Chi Minh City have added trà me muối ớt (tamarind tea with chili salt) to their menus, hoping it helps their customers handle the blazing summer heat. 

“It's burning these days, so we’ve added trà me muối ớt to our menu. It's refreshing, delicious, and rich in vitamins,” one shop announced on its Facebook page. 

Many other drink shops and local foodies have joined the craze, sharing photos and videos of the drink on their social media while many are also making the drink on their own at home. 

Trà me muối ớt is a playful mix of iced tea and tamarind syrup with chili salt spread evenly around the rim of the glass.

At some coffee shops, the drink also comes with peanut toppings, spicy tamarind jam, tamarind candy, or sugar palm (arenga pinnata) seeds.

The drink is often topped with tamarind-based toppings. Photo: @ni_cherry

Although the ingredients are simple, it still takes some effort to balance the flavor of the drink. 

Without enough tea, the drink is overwhelmed by the tamarind flavor, but too much tea just makes the drink taste like sugar water.

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