The Big Trip: Day 29: Budding cooking experts!

You may have noticed that we are kind of addicted to food experiences! We did another outing this morning and it was another 5 out of 5 experience!

We started out at the bustling central market in Hoi An where we picked up beef, shrimp, fruit, noodles and vegetables for the food we were to cook later. Robin was feeling to well in the morning, and said she would not be eating today as she was full from the breakfast Pho and jackfruit. Abby was also getting overheated at the market - the tight quarters, level of activity and heat were getting a bit much. I bought two hand fans and Robin and Beth went and sat out the market part.

We boarded a small boat and motored down the river, passing small fishing operations, lone fishermen and other locals moving up and down the waterway. The ride was cool and refreshing after the heat of the market, and it was 45 minutes before we arrived in the middle of a water coconut grove to the outdoor kitchen where we would be working on Thuan Tinh Island.

The first dish was Goi Cuon or Vietnamese Salad Rolls (sometimes called fresh rolls at home!

The first dish was Goi Cuon or Vietnamese Salad Rolls (sometimes called fresh rolls at home!) with Nuoc Leo or Peanut Hoisin Sauce for dipping. Very simple and we will be making these at home for sure. By the time we started rolling our first one, Ms Bounce Back (Robin) was jumping up and down and eagerly looking forward to eating.... It never takes her long to bounce back!

Next up, one of our favourites of the day and something we'd sampled already in Hanoi, Banh Xeo (sizzling Vietnamese crepes) with Nuoc Cham dipping sauce. The crepes are made with rice milk (which we made by using water, soaked rice and a stone rice grinder) , some spices and a bit of coconut cream. When you start frying the crepe, you add some raw shrimp and raw pork and wait until it cooks - like an omelette. The whole thing gets cooked, flipped, folded with vegetables, covered with rice paper and eaten with the light dipping sauce. Yum!

Our third dish was probably our favourite: Bun Bo Nam Bo (southern style beef vermicelli) - a kind of warm/cool beef vermicelli salad. As usual, the chef would demonstrate at his station, and we would go back to our stations and try and repeat the process - a great way to learn. After artfully arranging the veggies on our plates (my cucumber dragon was by far the best, but I really didn't ask around for anyone's opinion!), we put the Bo (vermicelli) noodles upside down, arranged the cooked beef around the noodles, topped with a beef broth reduction, garnished with fried and dried shallots and garlic and peanuts - viola! Mix it up and gobbleit down!

Last, but not least, Hanoi style beef Pho - Pho Bo Ha Noi. We did this at our Hanoi cooking course but it was great to refresh and engrain the cooking method. It was delicious as usual, but with all the passion fruit juice they'd been serving us and all the good food, we were once again getting full! Well, we suffered though it!