Vietnamese Cooking Class

My mom took a few cooking classes in December and she wanted me to go with her.  So we took a class in Vietnamese street food at The Farm Kitchen.  I was really looking forward to this as I miss Vietnamese food so much.  There are tons of Pho shops around but it’s just not the same.  While nothing we cooked was exactly like something I’d get on the streets in Ha No, the flavors were so good.  I could just picture sitting on the street with friends, on the little plastic stools while traffic whizzed by. 

The menu of the class was so delicious.  We started with some fresh lime soda and fresh fruit to dip in salt & chili powder.  I hadn’t had either in six years and it tasted so yummy.  We shredded some green papaya to make green papaya pickle.  It’s not as easy to shred an unripe papaya as you might think.  I don’t enjoy papaya so I don’t have to worry about it too much.

From there we were put into groups.  My mom and I made pork tenderloin and our partners made two sauces, a sweet and sour and a peanut sauce.  We used the pork tenderloin for two other that we were making, fresh spring rolls and Ban Mi.  The pork tenderloin was so delicious and easy.  I can’t wait to make it again!

Once the pork was finished we made the spring rolls.  I had never made fresh spring rolls before though I had eaten them many times.  I don’t think The Man will enjoy them as much as I do but still make them from time to time.  We each made two spring rolls and once everyone had theirs made, we got to eat them.  The kitchen got cleaned up and reset while we ate.  It would be really nice to have someone do that for me at home!

Once we were back in the kitchen, we made the Banh Mi, which are sandwiches.  In Viet Nam you can get the freshest, most delicious loafs of French bread.  Inside a Banh Mi you can find everything from pate to meat, veggies and fresh herbs.  We had the pork tenderloin we had made, grilled Carmel beef with sesame, fresh lime mayo (we made that too…super yummy!), cucumber, pickled daikon & carrots, scallions, cilantro, butter lettuce and mint. 

Time was getting tight and we still had to make Lemongrass clams with spicy lemongrass sauce.  Mom & I don’t eat clams (or any seafood) so we skipped this one.  We made the spicy sauce for our partners while they made the clams. 

We also had Chicken Rice.  They had made all the ingredients and we just put it together the way we wanted it.  I had a great time but it was a little chaotic.  It was hard to hear the instructor when she was in the other part of the kitchen, so she kept going back and forth repeating herself.   I’m hoping we can take another class soon!

Have you ever taken a cooking class?

Did you enjoy it?