Pho - (pronounced fuh) is Vietnams most popular dish, we ate lots of this in some very strange locations. The base of the dish is a broth to which rice noodles, fresh herbs and either chicken, beef or tofu is added, again the dipping sauces come in to play as does a squeeze of fresh lime.

Spring rolls - delicate, fresh and fragrant we take transparent rice paper and fill them with vegetables and prawns or grilled lemongrass chicken then you choose one of the many dipping sauces to dunk them in to, chilli jam, sriracha (its really hot) peanut, light soya and nuoc cham.

Vietnamese mango salad (ask Alan about the night that I ate this and he ordered chicken feet!!) The sweetness from the mango and the crunch from the carrots help combat the heat from the marinade. I can make it with or without beef.

Larb - made with pork mince this rice based dish is joy to eat, crunchy vegetables, salted peanuts and then finished off with Vietnamese basil that has a hint of aniseed to it - delicious.

Vietnamese chicken meatballs - If I gave you the list of ingredients you would pull your face and never put one of these in your mouth so instead they will just appear, you will eat one and fall in love.

Sticky sesame cauliflower - dipped in batter then baked not fried.

Sticky rice - you need this to help you manage the chopsticks!

Stir fried vegetables.

We didn't really have any puddings in Vietnam but we did eat lots of fruit I will have a go at making some ice cream but failing that there will be sorbet (I can make that!!)