Vietnamese cuisine captivates international friends in South Africa

With pride, Madame Vu Le Phuong, the Spouse of the Vietnamese Ambassador to South Africa, shared with friends from around the world about Vietnam's wet rice civilization. She emphasized that rice is not only a staple food but also the soul of the nation. For the Vietnamese, every family meal begins with a fragrant bowl of white rice - a symbol of abundance, reunion, and gratitude to the heavens and earth.

The Vietnamese cooking class was designed for international friends by the spouses of the staff at the Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa.

From the Red River Delta to the Mekong Delta, rice sustains over 100 million people, soaked with the sweat of countless generations of farmers. International friends also learned that Vietnam is currently one of the world's leading rice exporters, with over 7 million tons of rice shipped annually to more than 150 countries and territories.

Therefore, the Vietnamese cooking class, designed by the spouses of the staff at the Vietnamese Embassy for international friends, featured three dishes – an appetizer (fried vegetarian spring rolls), a main course (chicken Pho), and a dessert (floating cakes) – all related to rice.

With detailed and enthusiastic guidance from the "Vietnamese chefs", foreign friends had the opportunity to transform rice products into three vibrant stories of Vietnam's wet rice civilization: crispy fried spring rolls with authentic Vietnamese rice paper, aromatic chicken pho with translucent rice noodles, and round floating cakes made from glutinous and regular rice flour.

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The lesson on making fried vegetarian spring rolls kicked off the class, attracting lively participation from everyone. Foreign participants were taught how to select mushrooms, prepare vegetables, and roll the most beautiful spring rolls.

Mrs. Romchalee Kanokngamwitroj, the Spouse of the New Zealand Ambassador to South Africa, stated: “I am honored to participate in this Vietnamese cooking class, and I really enjoyed making spring rolls. I learned some great tips from my Vietnamese friends, such as how to soften the rice paper for easier rolling and to make the rolls look more appealing. That was something new I learned, and I will definitely apply that technique in the future. The ingredients introduced in the spring rolls were also very new to me.”

The class was not just about learning how to roll beautiful spring rolls, season the pho broth perfectly, or shape the floating cakes. International friends seemed to be touching a part of Vietnam's history, culture, and vitality.

Mrs. Tulu İçözü Aykan, the Spouse of the Deputy Ambassador of Turkey to South Africa, shared: “Today's cooking class was truly an amazing experience. I love Vietnamese food, but I had never tried making it. When I actually started cooking Vietnamese dishes, I realized that cuisine connects cultures.

I discovered some delicious and wonderful dishes here, and I really enjoyed the cooking class, as well as the Vietnamese people. This event was very helpful for us to learn about Vietnamese culture. Thank you so much for inviting and sharing your culture with me.”

At the event, many distinctive agricultural and handicraft products of Vietnam were also introduced to international friends.

Participants took home not only recipes but also stories of a wet rice civilization that blossomed in South Africa.

Ms. Andile Malinga, a South African resident, shared: “Participating in the Vietnamese cooking class today truly broadened my knowledge. I knew nothing about Vietnam before, but coming here, I really enjoyed the food and the experience.

I learned about the culture from open and friendly Vietnamese friends. After today, I will definitely make Vietnamese spring rolls and pho for my family and friends. One interesting thing I learned from the class is that roasting ginger and adding it to the broth significantly enhances the flavor.”

As the class concluded, participants took home not only recipes but also stories of a wet rice civilization that had traveled thousands of miles to bloom in South Africa. One could feel a Vietnamese grain of rice quietly sprouting in the heart of each person as they left the class.

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