International Diplomatic Husbands in South Africa Learn to Cook Vietnamese Food

The garden in the grounds of the Vietnamese Embassy in Pretoria (South Africa) on the morning of November 7 was filled with the laughter of more than 40 international friends.

They are members of the International Diplomatic Spouses Association in South Africa, along with members of the South African Women's Association, who came to participate in a special cooking class with three Vietnamese dishes made from rice: vegetarian spring rolls, Hanoi chicken pho, and banh troi-banh chay.

Proudly sharing with friends from all over the world about Vietnam's rice civilization, the wife of the Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa, Vu Le Phuong, emphasized that rice is not only food but also the "soul" of the nation.

For Vietnamese people, every family meal begins with a bowl of fragrant white rice - a symbol of abundance, reunion and gratitude to heaven and earth. From the Red River Delta to the Mekong River, rice feeds more than 100 million people, soaked in the sweat of generations of farmers.

International friends also know that Vietnam is currently one of the world's leading rice exporting countries, with more than 7 million tons of rice per year to more than 150 countries and territories. Therefore, the Vietnamese cooking class was designed by the wives of the Vietnamese Embassy staff for international friends with 3 dishes from appetizer (fried vegetarian spring rolls), main course (chicken pho) and dessert (dumplings, rice cakes) all related to rice.

And with the dedicated and detailed instructions of the "Vietnamese chefs," foreign friends were able to personally turn rice products into three vivid stories of Vietnamese rice civilization: crispy fried spring rolls with Vietnamese rice paper, fragrant chicken pho with clear white rice noodles, and round banh troi and banh chay made from sticky rice flour and regular rice flour.

The class on making fried vegetarian spring rolls started with great enthusiasm from everyone. Foreign students were instructed on how to choose mushrooms, prepare vegetables and how to roll them to create the most beautiful spring rolls.

Members were excited about the introduction to cooking chicken pho. (Photo: Hong Minh/VNA)

Excitedly sharing with VNA reporters in Pretoria, Ms. Romchalee Kanokngamwitroj - wife of the New Zealand Ambassador to South Africa, said: “I am very honored to participate in this Vietnamese cooking class and I really enjoy making fried spring rolls. I learned from my Vietnamese friends some good tips when rolling spring rolls, such as how to soften the rice paper to make it easier to roll and the spring rolls look more beautiful. That is something new that I have learned and I will definitely apply that technique later. The ingredients that you introduced in fried spring rolls are also very new. Previously, I have tried some Vietnamese dishes and noticed that they usually have mung beans. But this dish does not have any. I have learned something new about Vietnamese cuisine . I really like it."

Not only is the class instructing how to wrap spring rolls beautifully, how to season pho broth to the right taste, or how to make round banh troi and banh chay, international friends seem to be touching a part of the history, culture and vitality of the Vietnamese people.

Ms. Tulu İçözü Aykan - Wife of the Deputy Ambassador of Türkiye to South Africa, shared: “Today's cooking class was a really great experience. I love eating Vietnamese food, but I have never tried to make it. When I actually started making Vietnamese food, I realized that cuisine connects culture. I discovered very delicious and wonderful dishes here, and I really liked the cooking class, as well as the Vietnamese people. This event is very, very helpful for us in learning about Vietnamese culture. Thank you very much for inviting me and sharing your culture with me."

At the event, many typical Vietnamese agricultural and handicraft products were also introduced to international friends.

Members enthusiastically made banh troi and banh chay. (Photo: Hong Minh/VNA)

Ms. Andile Malinga - a South African, said: “Joining the Vietnamese cooking class today really helped me broaden my knowledge. Before, I knew nothing about Vietnam, I only knew that Vietnam was in Asia. But when I came here, I really liked the food and the experience. I learned about the culture from my open and friendly Vietnamese friends. After today, I will definitely make Vietnamese spring rolls and pho for my family and friends. One very interesting thing I learned from the class is that after you roast ginger and add it to the broth, it will greatly enhance the flavor. Thank you for sharing such wonderful things."

At the end of the class, the students not only brought back the recipes but also the story of a rice civilization that traveled thousands of miles to bloom in South Africa. It can be felt that a grain of Vietnamese rice has quietly sprouted in the heart of each person when leaving the class./.

(TTXVN/Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/cac-phu-quan-ngoai-giao-quoc-te-tai-nam-phi-hoc-nau-mon-an-viet-nam-post1075757.vnp