Cooking Vietnamese

Vietnamese food is now known throughout the world, but of course the best place to sample it is in Vietnam itself. Who can resist a steaming bowl of Beef Pho, Vietnam's national dish? Or any other of the many dishes featuring "nuoc mam" (fish sauce), soy sauce, rice, fresh herbs (including lemongrass, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander and basil leaves), fruits and vegetables?

Apart from the traditional local foods, Vietnamese cuisine has also been influenced by China to the north, the other parts of SE Asia to the east, and by the French colonialists, making this one of the most interesting cuisines in Asia.

But we don't just want to eat it, much as we enjoy doing that. No, we want to learn how to cook it. Or even if we are shy of the kitchen, we want still want to learn about the ingredients and how they are used.

Fortunately, there are many opportunities to learn Vietnamese cookery in Vietnam, but take care – some schools only give demonstrations, others let you do the cooking yourself. Check first.

Most training classes take place in the mornings, starting with a trip to the local market to select the ingredients, then it's back to the kitchen to see how to put the ingredients together to create the famous Vietnamese dishes. Finally you will sit down with the teacher and your fellow students and eat the lunch you have prepared. Afternoons are free allowing you to combine a cookery adventure with whatever other activities you prefer.

One of the most famous schools is the Vietnam Cookery Center in Ho Chi Minh City. It offers both morning and/or evening classes. These include lunch or dinner as appropriate. They also offer more in-depth courses, courses for professional cooks, and even special classes for children. These courses are popular so it's best to book in advance.

They also have a school in Vietnam's most popular beach resort, Nha Trang, offering similar services – the only difference being that the dishes cooked here are slightly different to show regional specialities.

In Hanoi, the best is said to be Hidden Hanoi which offers morning cooking classes with a different menu each day of the week. Teaching is done in small groups in a relaxed and peaceful garden setting led by the very friendly Ms. An.

Serious cooks should head for Hoi An. Here Trinh Diem Vy, regarded as one of Vietnam's most important chefs and the figure behind Vietnam's four best restaurants, offers classes in her Morning Glory restaurant. Cooking with Ms. Vy in the elegant French colonial kitchens with views over the roof tops of the old town in Hoi An, you'll be taken through specialties such as tuna with saffron, Chao Tom (prawns with sugar cane) and green papaya with peanuts and prawns and have a truly unforgettable experience.
Alternatively, you may wish to make your way to Sapa in the north. This is the area where most of Vietnam's ethnic minority hill tribes can be found. Here you can find local classes offering to introduce you to their distinctive cuisines and teach you how to prepare them.

It is, of course, possible to arrange tours combining all these areas and over a few days discover the diversity of Vietnam's unique cuisine – then go home and surprise your friends and family!