This week I decided to make Vietnamese fresh rolls, also known as summer rolls, a light, refreshing, and visually beautiful dish perfect for spring. Instead of relying on written recipes like I did for my Italian week, I took a different route. I focused on video tutorials, a combination of TikToks I had saved and a helpful YouTube walkthrough. This approach added a whole new dynamic to my learning.
I used these tiktoks for my inspiration
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMSNpXuEV/
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMSNsJNRy/
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMSNs1WrJ/
as well as this youtube video to make sure I could roll my rolls well
Ingredients & Prep
Before starting, I gathered all my fresh ingredients:
- Rice Paper
-
Vermicelli noodles
-
Lettuce
-
Cucumber
-
Carrot
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Yellow pepper
After I gathered my ingredients I realized I had to cut them very small to fit in the rolls. The technique to cut the vegetables small is called Julienne. After watching a short video on how to cut them perfectly for my fresh rolls I started cutting away.
I loved how colourful and fresh everything looked! Prepping everything ahead of time made the rolling process smoother.
Learning Through Video
I watched a handful of TikToks and one detailed YouTube video that showed exactly how to wrap the rolls. These videos broke down each step from soaking the rice paper, to layering ingredients, to rolling it all tightly without tearing the wrapper. This format really helped me understand the technique visually. Watching real people demonstrate small details, like how long to soak the rice paper or how to roll and tuck gave me the confidence I needed. It also made me feel less alone in the process. I could pause, rewatch, and mimic their techniques in real time.
Here was my first attempt at rolling my first fresh roll.
Finally after rolling a couple rolls I plated them and this is what we had for supper May 18
Reflection
This week was a turning point in my learning project because it was the first time I moved away from written recipes and instead relied on video content to guide me. I found this method to be not only more engaging but incredibly effective for learning a hands-on skill like cooking.
What stood out most was how visually clear everything became. Whenever I had to pause or had a question, the comment section had already answered my questions, such as how long to soak the rice paper or how full should I fill a roll. Watching videos allowed me to:
Pause and rewind when I needed to double-check a step.
Compare my own technique to what was demonstrated.
Build confidence by watching real people make mistakes and adjust , something not often visible in polished written recipes.
Overall, using video tutorials made the learning experience feel more interactive and less intimidating. It reminded me that cooking is a skill learned through doing, observing, and adjusting, and video is a perfect tool for supporting that process.
Stay tuned for next week as I make authentic Carne Asada tacos and make churros for my Mexican week 🇲🇽
Hey Kyler,
I am really loving following along with your cooking blog! In week two of your journey, I think you are doing great. I love fresh rolls and since reading your blog you have inspired me to also try making them at home. I am a visual learner so I find videos/ tutorials to be very helpful when trying out a new recipe as well. As you mentioned, It does make the steps and the process so much more clear. I love your reflection at the end and I am super excited to see how well you do for Mexican week!
Hey Kyler. I really love your edusite. I love the fact that your edusite is quite compatible and easy to navigate around. The photos you provided for each ingredient was quite impressive. I love the headers and sub-headers because it gives readers the ability to know what post they are reading. Overall, the edusite is quite organized. I hope that by the end of the semester this edusite looks more so as a a cook book. Thanks for everything Kyler.
Furthermore, I enjoy how you selected the targeted skill to learn new dishes. Cooking in general is a magnificent life skill to posses. Specifically for me, cooking keeps me calm. Cooking is quite soothing for me. Finally, cooking gives me a sense of ease as well as this life skill gradually makes me independent.
Hi Kyler. Your clear description of how the videos supported your learning process was relatable. It made me realize that I have also found success with cooking video – in particular ones that provide visual support for doing something unique, like rolling a fresh roll! I can follow a pancake recipe by simply reading the ingredients on a blog, but when it comes to more complicated cooking of baking processes – the time-based visual of a video really makes the difference! I’ve found this with bread, icing cupcakes, and making sushi.
Thanks for sharing! Your blog is really accessible and fun to read through.
The rolls you made look delicious and healthy. I feel like I can make this recipe too. Your explanation of how helpful videos are give me confidence in trying new recipes. Thank you for your instruction!