For a real flavor blast, try Vietnamese food from the central part of the country. Not only is the cuisine of this region still influenced by the dishes of imperial Hue, it makes liberal use of chiles and other red peppers, which first began to make their presence known there in the 1700s.

Cooking Vietnamese food is simple, but it can be difficult in some places to get the ingredients you need. If you don't have a local Asian market that carries specialty ingredients, don't give up: go online. In most cases, you can find the ingredients you're looking for after a short search.

Rice is an important part of most Vietnamese food dishes, but cooking it just right can be difficult. Your best bet is to get your hands on a rice cooker. For best results, cook one part right and one and a half parts water, and add 2-3 tables spoons of rice.