caramel & cocoa: For Love of Pho: Leluu's Vietnamese Cooking Class (London)

Uyen's herbs

Vietnamese food, in my opinion, is the new "sushi" & so when H surprised me with a day cooking course with Uyen of Leluu's Supper Club I was thrilled. So thrilled I hand-washed my favorite red apron for the occasion & could not sleep the night before. Uyen, who is Vietnamese teaches the course in her Hackney flat and for an afternoon, myself and 5 other strangers learned the philosophy behind Vietnamese food, which is a balance of sweet, sour and salty.

We made & ate10 amazing dishes and visited the local Vietnamese shop where I picked up my own Vietnamese ingredients. I was lucky because I also found myself in very good company. That was a definite plus.

Uyen herself is very laid back and kind & yes of course, a great chef, though she calls herself a cook. Her lovely assistant who also happens to be her Vietnamese mother is the sweet type of lady you can easily fall in love with.

This was the menu:

Beef Pho

Carrot & Chicken Salad with Prawn Crackers

Bo La Lot

Summer Rolls

Steamed Fish with Spring Onions & Soy Sauce

Mustard Leaf, Ginger & Tofu Soup

Stir Fried Morning Glory

Braised Pork Belly in Coconut & Cider

Pan Fried Fish with Mango

Banana Fritters

I did come come home and give it all go for my family. While my version of the recipes might not have been as beautifully presented or as yummy as Uyen's, they were definitely a hit with the kids and husband (see pics of cooking lesson & home version below). You can find Uyen at http://www.leluu.com/. She is publishing a book so stay tuned.