Fresh Spring Rolls with Chinese Sausage (Bo Bia)

Crunchy jicama and carrots, crisp green leaf lettuce, fragrant Thai basil layered with savory Chinese sausage, dried shrimp and delicate egg ribbons are all wrapped in delicate rice paper making truly mouth-watering and refreshing spring rolls. The variety and abundance of colorful ingredients are what make these fresh spring rolls so unique and amazing! Serve these delicious rolls with a homemade sweet and savory dipping sauce and you have a dish that is sure to become everyone’s favorite.

Notes on the Recipe, Tips and Tricks

If you cannot find dried shrimp, use small fresh shrimp.

Do not overcook the jicama and carrots. Keep in mind the vegetables continue to soften from the residual heat. The crunchiness of the jicama and carrots is key to achieving a fresh taste.

If short on time, stir-fry the carrots and jicama together. I cook them separately so the orange color from the carrots does not bled into the jicama. It makes the jicama brighter.

Serve these rolls already made or have each person make their own rolls. For extra convenience, add the sauce inside the rolls.

These rolls are best if eaten right away. The rice paper has a tendency to get dry and hard if left at room temperature for too long.

If making ahead for a party, cover the rolls with damp paper towels to keep them from drying. To keep the rolls from sticking together and tearing, separate the rolls with small pieces of green leaf lettuce. This trick keeps also keeps them moist!

Refrigerate any remaining sauce. To reheat, warm the sauce in the microwave on Low power for 1 minute. If the sauce becomes thick after refrigerating, add hot water and combine until you get the consistency you like.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like: Grilled Pork Sausage Fresh Spring Rolls (Nem Nuong Cuon), So Simple Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon) or Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Bi Cuon Chay).

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried shrimp (approximately 64 pieces)
1 green onion
4 Chinese sausages
1 1/4 lb jicama (1 lb shredded)
2 large carrots (5 oz shredded)
4 large eggs + 8 tsp water
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
16 strips green leaf lettuce, washed
6 sprigs Thai basil, plucked and washed
16 sheets rice paper (22 cm diameter)

Dipping Sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/3 cup plum sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp chili paste

Directions

Place the dried shrimp into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 30 minutes. Drain in a strainer. Rinse with cool water and then toss to shake off the excess water. Chop the white part of the green onion. Heat a skillet over Medium heat and add 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Add the green onions and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until lightly toasted, approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn-off the heat and add just a dash of salt and ground black pepper. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool.

Fill a skillet halfway with water. Cover and bring to a boil over High heat. Add the sausages and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat to Low and boil gently for 15 minutes. About halfway through the cooking time, rotate the sausages and then continuing cooking. Remove the sausages and then pour out the water. Return the sausages to the skillet and cook over Medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Rotate the sausages so they cook evenly. Remove and allow to cool. Once cooled, thinly slice the sausages by cutting at a slight angle. Cut each sausage into 12 slices.

Remove the skin from the carrots and jicama using a vegetable peeler. Rinse with water and then pat dry with paper towels. Cut the carrots into 3-inch sections. Use a mandoline to shred the carrots and jicama into thin strips. (Put the vegetables in separate bowls.) Heat a large wok over Medium heat and add 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Add the jicama and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Season with a dash of salt and ground black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Heat the same wok over Medium heat and add 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Add the carrots along with 1 Tbsp water and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Season with a dash of salt and ground black pepper. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Once the jicama and carrots are completely cooled, combine together in a large bowl.

Crack one of the eggs into a measuring cup. Add 2 tsp water and whisk together. Heat a skillet over Medium Low and then coat with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Pour the egg into the skillet and then swirl the skillet so the egg covers it evenly. Lightly season with salt and ground black pepper. Cook until the egg is dry, approximately 90 seconds. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool. Once cooled, loosely roll up the egg and slice into thin strips. Repeat the same steps for the remaining 3 eggs.

To make the dipping sauce, heat a saucepan over Medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and minced garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add the hoisin sauce, plum sauce and peanut butter. Whisk together until smooth. Add the water and combine together. Cook the sauce for 3-4 minutes.  Transfer the dipping sauce to a bowl and set aside for now.

To make the spring rolls, take a sheet of rice paper and dunk it into a bowl of warm water. Shake off the excess water and place the rice paper on a flat surface. Place a strip of green leaf lettuce on top of the rice paper. Add 1 oz jicama and carrots, .4 oz egg, 2-3 Thail basil leaves, 4 dried shrimp and 3 slices of Chinese sausage. Fold over the sides of the rice paper.  Starting at bottom and using medium pressure, carefully roll the rice paper around all of the ingredients. Repeat the same steps to make the rest of the rolls.

Serve the fresh spring rolls with the sweet and savory dipping sauce topped with the chili paste and crushed roasted peanuts.

Yields: 16 rolls

Tools I Love and Use in My Kitchen