Learning how to make food from scratch always makes me feel like I have achieved something. Even if it doesn’t quite turn out as expected, (like my attempt at hot cross buns!) it’s usually edible, and I’ll have learnt something.
When I made noodles from scratch it felt like a big accomplishment, I mean, they’re just so easy to buy pre-prepared aren’t they?
Vietnamese Cuisine
Noodles are a staple for many Vietnamese dishes. When I cooked a dish from every country in the world for my 2021 New Year Resolution, I made the delicious phở, but I did use shop-bought noodles.
When I made noodles from scratch, it was with a local in Hội An, Vietnam. It was one of my more authentic culinary experiences! Usually when I’m making something for the first time, it’s in my own kitchen following a recipe I’ve found.
We joined a fantastic tour with STREETS International, where we tasted and learnt about the different types of noodles used in Vietnamese cuisine, before going back to the kitchen to learn how to make our own.
Taking A Tasting Tour
Leading us across the chaotic streets and managing not to lose any of our small ground in the throng of beeping scooters nipping along the road, our tour guide took us to sample three different types of noodles.
Our first stop was to sample bún noodles.
These were the lightest of the noodles we tried. Thin and soft, they were served in a delicate lemongrass flavoured broth.
The second sample we tried was the slurp-tactic phở.
These medium sized noodles nestled in a bowl of slightly denser broth flavoured with warming tastes of star anise and cinnamon
Finally we tried Cao lầu noodles. A signature noodle dish of Hội An, these were the thickest of the trio we tried. They had a slightly smoky flavour which is unsurprising when we found that ash was part of the cooking process. With less broth, this had more depth, and a richer flavour from soy sauce.
Market Tour
Following our tour guide through the higgledy piggledy alleys of the huge market, there were stalls selling anything you could possibly need. Stopping at the places selling ingredients for the dishes, including a stall simply selling a variety of noodles, we were introduced to big bundles of freshly picked herbs, and piles of colourful fruits and vegetables.
There was plenty of produce I recognised, but also many things I hadn’t seen before which our guide introduced us to. With a hands on sensory experience we smelt and tasted an array of the fresh goods. a particular new favourite being the custard apple, which tastes as it sounds it should. With the familiar apple taste, and an additional creamy sweetness.
Despite having eaten more noodles in the space of an hour than I probably had in the whole of the previous year, I was looking forward to sampling some more, which I would be making myself!
Time To Get Cooking - Made Noodles From Scratch
We headed back to STREETS headquarters. Having sampled some of the different variations of local noodles, we were now going to be making our own!
Using the implements with very technical names, (coconut ladle & bamboo stick), we poured a small amount of rice flour mixture onto the steamer. Whilst it was cooking, we had a crash course in counting from 5 to 1 in Vietnamese – this is also very useful if you want to say cheers!
Carefully, we removed the flat cooked noodle, (banh uot) and finally used the machine to cut it into the familiar ribbon form that we’re used to seeing noodles.
The part requiring the most skill was removing the flat noodle from the steamer in one piece. It took a lot of concentration and a very steady hand. It sounds much easier to do than it was! Thankfully mine came off as one whole making it much easier to cut. It wasn’t the smoothest, but it hadn’t broken up. Everyone in our group had a go and our noodles got made into a fantastic final feast. I had done it! I had made noodles from scratch!
Bahn Dap
We also made Bahn Dap, which roughly translates as smashed bread. We made another flat rice noodle as we previously had done. Next, we added a rice cracker, which is essentially a flat rice noodle that has been left to dry in the sun for a day so is nice and crispy – this is also known as banh da.
Spreading on a layer of oil, we then folded the two layers in half, and smashed them together in our palms. Ripping pieces off at a time, we dipped them into a mildly spiced sauce, and enjoyed a snack that was both full of taste and texture.
Good Food, Good Kids.
Our tour was with STREETS International. They are a great initiative that help some of the poorer young Vietnamese by delivering professional training and apprenticeships to them. This means they are better established to follow careers in the growing hospitality sector in the country, and beyond.
Not Your Average Noodle
This was a fantastic foodie experience. I never knew there were so many varieties of noodles, and I loved the immersive way that we learnt about such a staple ingredient.
I don’t have a steamer at home, but they are easy to come by and I’m sure I could adapt one somehow if I decide to have a go again. I’ll have to deviate from the technical equipment that we used in the class, and I don’t have a noodle cutting machine but there are plenty of things in my kitchen that would do the job!
Want To Try It Yourself?
- To try the same ‘Oodles of noodles’ experience, take a look at the STREETS International website, and drop them an email if you are interested.
- There are lots of recipes on line that guide you through making noodles.
- Take a look to see if there are any noodle making cookery classes near you.
- Have a look on-line for any virtual noodle making classes.
Cost Of Experience
The cost depends on the size of your group.
For a group of four people, it cost us around £73 per person for a full morning. This was a very generous gift from my sister!
The price includes all of the dishes you sample on the tour, and the ingredients you’ll use when you make your own.
Of course there was the initial cost of getting to Vietnam. However, I’m not factoring that in to the cost of the experience as I didn’t travel specifically to do the tour.
Recommendations
- If you’re doing the tour in the morning, don’t have a big breakfast!
- If you do book a tour with STREETS International, you can always get in touch with them before hand if you have any questions, queries, or allergy requirements.
- Ask lots of questions and try everything that is available!
- Try and keep a steady hand as you use the bamboo stick to peel your flat noodle from the steamer. However it doesn’t really matter if it tears as you can still use it.
- Don’t forget to take a picture of your delicious finished noodles!