Whilst travelling in Vietnam in February, we immersed ourselves in Vietnamese cuisine and took the plunge doing an eco-cooking class. The day began at 06:00 in the local markets shopping for ingredients. We then moved to the coconut groves, where we boarded a coconut boat and rowed to our cooking school, set on stilts above the water, the class was truly authentic and a testament to Vietnamese culture!
From Goi Cuon (salad rolls) to Bun Bo Nam Bo (beef vermicelli noodles), we sizzled up a storm, using local techniques to mill the rice husks and grind fresh spices with a stone mortar. The fresh flavours— lemongrass, chilli, garlic, and fish sauce were washed down with a cold Hanoi beer. My personal favourite was Bánh xèo, a savoury Vietnamese crepe, that is made from Turmeric and rice flour and filled with fresh veggies and fried pork.
