Phenti hui
(Phenti hui, 달고나 커피, फेंटी हुई कॉफी)
Dalgona is a frothy whipped coffee that is served on top of milk. Although it became internationally known as a South Korean beverage, similar versions are common in other Asian countries. The basic version of this coffee is made with equal parts of instant coffee, sugar, and water.
The combination is then whipped until it achieves caramel-like color and foamy texture. It is then traditionally ladled on top of milk. In South Korea, the drink was introduced by an actor Jung Il-woo who first had it in Macau. The flavor and the appearance reminded him of a popular Korean street snack, named dalgona, which is made with melted sugar and baking soda.
Eventually, Jung popularized the drink and gave it its current name, but this coffee-based beverage gained international success during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Read more
When social distancing and quarantine measures were introduced, numerous videos with do-it-yourself versions of dalgona started to appear online, primarily on YouTube and then on other platforms. Soon, the videos went viral, and dalgona became the latest food trend in the world.
Although it was popularized as a South Korean creation, similar frothy coffee styles exist in other parts of the world, and they appear under various names. The version from Macau is usually associated with Hon Kee, an establishment owned by a Leong Kam Hon, and a place where Jung first encountered it.
After the videos went viral, many suggested that the new coffee craze is essentially phenti hui, known as beaten or whipped coffee, which is a staple in India and Pakistan. The only difference is that phenti is prepared by pouring milk on top of frothed coffee.
This alleged novel coffee style was even compared to the popular Greek frappe. Despite its dubious origin and various names, this beverage is now mostly associated with South Korea, and it will probably be remembered as the most popular drink during the coronavirus pandemic.
