For Vietnamese people, bò bía is a delicious snack with a distinctive flavor that leaves a lasting impression after just one taste. This article by Food Vietnamese will guide you on how to make savory bò bía with authentic Saigon flavors.
Southern Vietnamese people are very fond of savory bò bía, with its thin rice paper wrapper encasing a delightful blend of various fillings that create an exquisite taste. If you don’t have the opportunity to buy it from street vendors, you can make this dish at home for your family to enjoy. The steps are straightforward, and anyone can succeed on their first try.
What is bò bía?
Bò bía is a snack originating from the Fujian, Chaozhou, and Guangdong regions of China and became quite popular when introduced to Vietnam. The term bò bía is transliterated from Chinese, and it is not a dish with beef as its main ingredient, as many might mistakenly believe. In Sino-Vietnamese, bò bía is called bạc bỉnh, which means thin cake. Therefore, this dish is wrapped in a thin, translucent rice paper.
When it was brought to Vietnam, bò bía was divided into two types: sweet bò bía and savory bò bía. Sweet bò bía is popular in Northern Vietnam, made with ingredients like peanuts, shredded coconut, and maltose candy, wrapped in a soft, chewy wheat flour wrapper. In contrast, Southern Vietnamese people prefer savory bò bía.
It’s not difficult to spot the small, colorful bò bía rolls displayed in glass cabinets and on pushcarts along the streets. These vibrant rolls, filled with ingredients such as fresh vegetables, Chinese sausage, and eggs, might be mistaken for spring rolls due to their similar appearance. However, the filling of savory bò bía is different from that of spring rolls.
Savory bò bía consists of a thin, translucent rice paper wrapper encasing a variety of ingredients, including thinly fried eggs, Chinese sausage, dried shrimp floss, jicama, and fresh vegetables. It is typically eaten with sweet soy sauce sprinkled with crispy fried shallots and roasted peanuts, adding a rich, nutty flavor. The filling of savory bò bía can vary depending on local variations. Generally, it combines many different ingredients, including fresh vegetables, making it a light and refreshing dish.
Ingredients for Making Savory Bò Bía
Here are the ingredients you need to prepare bò bía for four people:
- 40g dried shrimp floss
- 220g jicama
- 3 Chinese sausages
- Roasted peanuts
- 300g lettuce
- 150g basil leaves
- 50 pieces of soft rice paper
- 3 duck eggs
- Seasonings: sugar, seasoning powder, salt, cooking oil
When selecting rice paper for bò bía, choose rice paper with moderate thickness and pliability. The rice paper should be intact; avoid rice paper that is too thin to prevent tearing during the rolling process.
When selecting jicama for making savory bò bía, choose medium-sized ones with a light brown, smooth skin. Make sure to pick jicama with small stalks; these are usually juicier and less fibrous, making the bò bía filling more delicious.
Detailed Instructions for Making Savory Bò Bía
Preparing Ingredients for Bò Bía
- Lettuce: Trim the roots, wash thoroughly, and shake off excess water.
- Basil Leaves: Pick the leaves, wash them, and let them dry. It’s essential to let the basil and lettuce dry completely before rolling to prevent the rice paper from becoming wet and mushy, which can cause tearing.
- Jicama: Peel the jicama, wash it, and cut it into thin strips. Avoid cutting the jicama too long to make rolling easier and ensure the rolls look neat.
- Shallots: Peel and finely chop the shallots.
- Duck Eggs: Crack the eggs into a bowl, add 1 teaspoon of fish sauce and half a teaspoon of ground pepper, and beat well until the eggs are fully mixed.
- Cooking the Eggs: Heat a pan on the stove, add a little cooking oil, and pour in the beaten eggs to make a thin omelet. Once cooked, place the omelet on a plate, let it cool, and then cut it into thin strips.
- Cooking the Jicama: Heat a pan on the stove, add cooking oil, and fry the shallots until fragrant. Add the jicama strips to the pan and stir-fry until cooked. Season with 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and half a teaspoon of ground pepper, then stir well to blend the flavors. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Note that adding sugar is unnecessary because jicama is naturally sweet.
- Chinese Sausage: Boil the Chinese sausage for 10 minutes, then remove, let cool, and cut into thin slices. A tip to enhance the flavor is to lightly fry the sausage after boiling.
By following these steps, you will have the perfect ingredients ready to make delicious and authentic savory bò bía.
Rolling Bò Bía
When you start rolling bò bía, place a rice paper sheet on a clean, flat surface. Next, sequentially add the lettuce, stir-fried jicama, fried duck eggs, Chinese sausage, dried shrimp floss, and basil leaves in the center. Finally, fold the two ends of the rice paper inward and roll it evenly. Continue rolling until you have used up all the ingredients and rice paper.
While rolling the bò bía, be careful not to overfill them, as this can cause the rice paper to tear and make rolling difficult. To ensure that the bò bía rolls are uniform and visually appealing, you can use a piece of paper or a banana leaf strip about 8 cm wide as a guide. Additionally, since dried shrimp floss is already salty, only add a moderate amount to avoid overpowering the other flavors.
Finished Bò Bía
The finished bò bía rolls should be neatly and evenly rolled without any tears in the outer layer. The rice paper should be thin, translucent, and slightly chewy, revealing the colorful ingredients inside. The best way to enjoy bò bía is by dipping it in a bowl of sweet soy sauce. The chewy rice paper, combined with the crunchy sweetness of the jicama, the fragrant, fatty Chinese sausage, the soft fried eggs, and the savory dried shrimp floss, all mixed with the flavorful dipping sauce, creates a delicious balance that isn’t overwhelming.
We hope these tips have provided you with a guide to making delicious bò bía with authentic Saigon flavors. With just 20 minutes of ingredient preparation and 30 minutes of cooking, you can enjoy this delightful dish that will satisfy your cravings. Visit Foodvietnamese.com to discover more delicious Vietnamese recipes every day!
