Blogs

How to Make Fresh Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)

Light, healthy, and bursting with flavour, Vietnamese rice paper rolls (also known as gỏi cuốn) are a favourite for good reason. These fresh rolls are packed with prawns, rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and fragrant herbs—rolled up in delicate rice paper and served with a punchy dipping sauce.

At Otao Kitchen, we love teaching our students to make rice paper rolls in our Vietnamese cooking classes, because they’re fun to assemble and perfect for sharing. Now you can recreate them at home with this step-by-step guide.

How to Buy the Best Kitchen Knife on a Budget: A Chef’s Guide for Home Cooks

Becoming a great home cook doesn’t start with a recipe—it starts with your tools. And nothing is more essential than a good kitchen knife. Whether you’re slicing onions, chopping herbs, or carving a roast, your chef’s knife will be the most-used tool in your kitchen.

But with so many choices out there, how do you find the right knife without breaking the bank?

At Otao Kitchen, we’re here to take the stress out of buying your first—or next—kitchen knife. Let’s walk through everything you need to know, with our 7-step guide to choosing the perfect kitchen knife on a budget.

sian cooking is nothing without its iconic sauces—layered with flavour, rich in history, and easy to use at home. In Vietnamese cuisine, sauces are more than condiments; they’re essential ingredients that transform simple meals into delicious, aromatic dishes.

At Otao Kitchen, we believe learning about sauces is one of the most powerful ways to understand and master Asian cooking. Here's your guide to 8 essential sauces to bring into your home kitchen.

Banh Xeo, meaning “sizzling cake” in Vietnamese, is named for the satisfying sound the batter makes when it hits a hot pan. This golden, crispy savoury pancake is filled with fresh herbs, prawns, and crunchy vegetables. It’s one of Vietnam’s most iconic street food dishes—and now, it’s a crowd favourite in Vietnamese restaurants across Australia.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or discovering Banh Xeo for the first time, this easy and delicious recipe will bring the flavours of Vietnam into your kitchen.

If you want to stock your kitchen with good-quality fish sauce, you’re in the right place. A staple in many Southeast Asian cuisines, fish sauce delivers that unmistakable umami richness — savoury, salty, complex — that transforms everyday cooking into something extraordinary.

But not all fish sauces are made equal. From country of origin to fermentation methods, the type you choose can make a big difference in your dish. So, let’s explore what makes a great fish sauce, how to choose the best one, and which brands are worth trying in Australia.

How to store spices and how long they will last are most frequent questions being asked in our cooking classes.

Most of our spices are imported, shipped and shelved before we get them. Our recommendation is store them in a cool and dark place. So do not store above your stove as you might think of a perfectly access for your cooking. Heat, humidity and light will cause the spices loose their beautiful oil and flavour.

Be a great cook to use your spices within six months or 12 months. They will loose their flavour over the time but you still can use them.