Recao/culantro and aji dulce peppers - where to buy?

[weetara]

I'm flying out tonight to visit friends in Colorado, and I've received a last minute request to bring a bunch of culantro (recao in Spanish) and some aji dulce sweet chili peppers, if I can find them.

Does anyone know of a place in midtown, Chelsea, or the village where I can find this stuff? I'm thinking maybe Manhattan Fruit Exchange at Chelsea Market, just because they seem to have everything?

Alternatively, two supermarkets near me in Union City, NJ, have pretty decent Latin American produce selections, and I'll be back there tonight before my flight. Do I have a better bet of finding them there than at a specialty produce place in the city? Just trying to gauge how common these items are, because I've never shopped for them before.

I wish I had more time to seek them out, but I'm in a crunch. Thanks so much for any guidance!

[erica]

I've seen culantro at the uptown Fairway. I have never noticed it at the place in Chelsea market, but you could call them to inquire. The peppers are more easily found than the herb , in my opinion.

[weetara]

Thanks, Erica. We ended up getting the peppers at Manhattan Fruit and the culantro at a bodega in Weehawken/Union City after striking out at both Pathmark and Kiko's.

[nachonut]

I KNOW this is an old as hell thread. But I just wanted to add that Met foods carries recao and aji dulce,