Vietnam: Vietnamese Fresh Rolls
May 30, 2018 – On May 30th, Lotte Shopping’s Cultural Center played host to the second class of Asia Society Korea’s International Cooking series. Vietnamese cuisine is having a surge in popularity throughout Korea these days with a number of new restaurants opening all over the peninsula. It was no surprise, therefore, that this event hosted by Ms. Lan-Hinh Tran, spouse of the Ambassador of Vietnam to South Korea, sold-out quickly.
Ms. Tran is an advocate of home-cooked meals, and the twenty attendees were eager to learn some tips from her. As the weather is beginning to heat up, Ms. Lan decided to teach the participants how to make Vietnamese summer rolls. Ms. Lan explained that she always tries to blend delicious flavors with health when cooking, so she chose not to fry the spring rolls and instead serve them freshly with a side of peanut sauce. She added that the versatile dish can serve as an appetizer or light lunch, and is made easily using a handful of fresh ingredients.
The class was well organized with Ms. Lan preparing all of the ingredients and the participants ardently followed her step-by-step instructions. While everyone enjoyed making the summer rolls, Ms. Lan also told anecdotes and provided information about Vietnamese culture and its cuisine. As with previous classes, the participants enjoyed the food so much that they took the leftovers home with them.