A cookery lesson

The optional activity today was a Vietnamese cookery lesson - every restaurant and hotel in town seems to offer them. 6 of our group signed up for the one Intrepid offered. We were met by our teacher Hanh and a taxi, she bundled us in the taxi to her home across town while she followed us on her, inevitable, motor bike. 4 more people from another tour were already there when we arrived, so we were 10 in total. We were due to learn and eat 5 different dishes but first it was time to order drinks, then down to business. All the ingredients had been already divided into 10 portions so we each chopped, sliced or grated items together. We were called up to the end of the table individually to do the other bits. Every different process had an (almost) appropriate melody to accompany it e.g. Rolling, Rolling, Rolling. The burners were lit and everyone was handed an ingredient which they became Oily Boy, Sesame Girl etc. We cooked and ate Spring Rolls and Chicken Soup first before moving on to Fish in Banana Leaf, Aubergines in Claypot and Green Papaya Salad.
It was a great evening and we did learn something, we enjoyed what we had made and will be inflicting it on dinner guests in the very near future!