Winter Melon Tea with Basil Seeds (Trà Bí Đao Hột É)

It’s quick, easy, and customizable. Enjoy it as a straight tea, turn it into a creamy winter melon milk tea with a splash of milk, or add fun toppings like grass jelly, aloe vera, or chewy boba pearls. In this version, I’ve added hột é (basil seeds) for a fun, jelly-like texture.

What You Will Need

• Winter melon: Also called ash gourd, wax gourd and bí đao in Vietnamese. It’s slightly fuzzy gourd that’s popular in Southeast Asian cuisine. In Vietnamese cooking, young and small bí đao is often eaten in a light vegetable soup. It has a mild, almost neutral flavor that soaks up surrounding flavors. The bigger, fibrous ones that are mature with the ashy skin are cut in small pieces, boiled down and made into sweet drinks. We will use the concentrate of this boiled form which comes already sweetened and in the shape of a brick. It’s available in most Asian grocery stores in the tea aisle.
• Hot water: to make the tea
• Basil seeds: Basil seeds are known as hột é or hạt é in Vietnamese. These tiny black seeds look similar to chia seeds. Once soaked in warm water, they look like what my daughter describe as little tadpoles. In Vietnam, hột é is a popular ingredient in refreshing summer drinks and they are a great source of fiber.
• Ice cubes
• Optional toppings: small cubes of grass jelly, aloe vera chunks, or a splash of milk for a milk tea version

How to Make Winter Melon Tea

Step 1: Make the tea

Divide the brick into thirds. Use a meat cleaver and mallet if the brick is too hard to cut, or shave it from the edges into delicate, quick-dissolving strips.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add about 1/3 of the tea brick, and let it dissolve completely over low heat then turn off heat.

Step 2: Add basil seeds

While the mixture is still warm, add the basil seeds. Depending on where you got them, you may want to rinse them first with cold water to remove any dust or debris.

Step 3: Chill and serve

Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a pitcher and refrigerate. When ready to serve, pour over ice and enjoy chilled.

FAQs and Tips for Success

Where to find ingredients?

Check your local Asian grocery stores. They often have aloe vera, basil seeds, grass jelly, and winter melon tea brick at lower prices than online. I got all my supplies at 99 Ranch Market.

How sweet is the winter melon brick?

Store-bought tea brick is usually pre-sweetened, so you won’t need to add extra sugar. Taste and adjust if needed.

How long does it keep?

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Stir before serving as basil seeds and other toppings tend to settle at the bottom.

Can I grow the basil seeds?

In theory, yes, as they are basil seeds. But it’s not a sure thing since some are heat-treated or too old to sprout. You can always just try and see where it goes. For a more reliable harvest, it’s better to grab basil seeds labeled for planting.