Bo Bia is one of my favorite type of Vietnamese salad rolls (summer rolls)

I have to say I love everything that is rolled up in rice paper  with noodles, fresh veggies and herbs.... It is one of my favorite things to eat that is Vietnamese :) From  nem nuong ( pork meatballs), bo nhung dam (beef dipped in vinegar hot pot), ca nuong (grilled fish), and goi cuon (your typical salad rolls that you see on the menu with pork and shrimp) thit bo/heo nuong (grilled beef/pork)....oh the list is endless!!

But this is one of my favorite to eat. It is a common dish you would find on the streets of Vietnam where a little old lady would be pushing a cart with all the yummy ingredients to make this. This dish is a little more time consuming to prep so I only make it when I have guests coming over. There are a few different components to the roll that makes it such a wonderful explosion of flavors in the mouth when you eat it, it's literally like a party in your mouth  due to all the different textures and vibrant flavors.

Step 1:
1 medium Jicama (thinly julienned)
1 large carrot (thinly julienned)
3 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

So the best part about this roll to me is the Jicama and carrot filling, the sweetness and the crispy texture of the jicama is a nice little surprise that you normally don't get with the other rolls.  Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a nonstick pan, and add the minced garlic until fragrant. Quickly add in the jicama and carrots and stirfry for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Step 2:
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 package of dried shrimp (size small)
1 cup of coarsely chopped roasted peanuts (can be salted)
3/4 cup of fried shallots (store bought)

This next component gives the roll a crunchy nutty texture. Soak the dry shrimp in some warm water for about an hour then drain it well. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium and add the shrimp and cook until it starts to crisp up (2-3 minutes) stirring constantly. Then add the remaing two ingredients, peanuts and shallots and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes and flavors are well combined. Remember to stir constantly so it does not burn and cooks evenly. Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 3:
4-6 chinese sausage (lap xuong/lap cheong)
5 eggs

The two proteins are prepared next. Add about 1/4 cup of water to a nonstick pan and cook the lap xuong on medium high until all the water evaporates. Flip the sausage back and forth so it is evenly brown on the outside. Set aside to cool and thinly slice into long strips.
Crack all 5 eggs into a large bowl and scramble with a pair of chopsticks or fork. Use a flat nonstick pan, heat 1/2 tsp of oil and spoon about 1/4 of the egg mixture onto the pan. It should be a thin layer of egg ( like a crepe). Flip the thin egg layer and cook both sides. Remove from heat and slice into 1 cm wide strips.

Step 4:
1 head of green leaf lettuce  (washed and spine removed)
1 bunch of thai basil (red stem basil)
1 package of rice paper ( I prefer the Rose brand)
1/2 cup of Hoisin Sauce
1/2 cup of siracha

So now that we've got all the  components prepared, we are ready to assemble our rolls. This roll is best served fresh when the guests are present. I usually prep everything and have all the ingredients on the table and everyone assembles their own roll at the dinner table. Start by quickly dipping the rice paper in a bowl of warm water becareful of not overwetting it. This is common mistake the we make if you're not use to handling rice paper. It just needs a touch of water to moisten and soften up. Next spread 1/4 tsp of hoisin sauce and 1/4 tsp siracha (less if you don't like too much spice) onto the rice paper (in a line across). Layer 1/2 a leaf of lettuce, 4-5 sweet basil leaves, 2 tablespoon of the jicama/carrot mixture, 2-3 this piecs of the lap xuong, 2-3 strips of the egg, and 1 tsp of the peanut/shrimp.  And that is it, roll it up tightly and enjoy! The nice thing is there is no need for dipping sauce since the sauce is already in the rolls so all the flavors are inside.