Vietnamese Menu Shopping List

2 underripe mangoes

1 small head Napa cabbage

5 medium carrots

1 English cucumber or 4 Persian cucumbers

1 bunch mint

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch Thai or Italian basil

1 head garlic

2 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile

6 scallions

One 2-inch piece ginger

2 limes

1 pound medium shell-on shrimp

One 1 1/2-pound flank steak

• 2 baguettes
• Sambal oelek (available at Asian markets, some supermarkets, andkalustyans.com)
• Hoisin sauce
• Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce (preferably Red Boat 40° N, available atsurlatable.com)
• Rice vinegar
• 6 ounces rice vermicelli (rice-stick noodles)
• 1 package spring-roll skins (banh trang; available at Asian markets andgourmetfoodworld.com)
• One 20-ounce can lychees in heavy syrup
• Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur (optional)
• Sesame Willis Eagle sesame cookies (available atposharpstore.com)

Roasted unsalted peanuts

Creamy peanut butter

Safflower oil

Tomato paste

Coarse salt

Black peppercorns

Granulated sugar

1 TO 2 WEEKS BEFORE

Shop for pantry staples and look for items that may be hard to find (for sources, see Specialty list above).

2 DAYS BEFORE

Shop for produce, beef, and shrimp.

Make peanut dipping sauce.

Prepare lychee juice and ginger syrup.

1 DAY BEFORE

Cook shrimp.

Soak and drain vermicelli.

Prep vegetables.

Make mango salad.

Make nuoc cham dipping sauce.

Buy baguettes.

THE DAY OF

Assemble platter of fixings for banh mi and summer rolls.

Crush ice in blender and return to freezer.

JUST BEFORE GUESTS ARRIVE

Grill beef and thread on skewers.

Cut and toast baguettes.

Bring dipping sauces to room temperature.

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