Thank You: Thanks for letting me know dearest June! In Puerto Rico

we also love to include in our savory recipes cubed pumpkin (calabaza) peeled or without peeling. The Pumpkin peel is so healthy & it will provide crunchiness to your stew. Red & white beans stew in Puerto rico always include at least 1 1/2 cup of cubed pumpkin. This will produce a very thick stew without adding calories. (our pumpkins, like the mirlitons (chayotes) are from the family of the squash-good for the diet & for the heart)). In Argentina they prepare a lovely pork stew with pumkin meat & they serve it & cook it in the hollowed pumpkin, cooked in the oven.

Hope you will try it soon.

Regarding the SHRIMP PASTE, it is a THAI ingredient (Burmese) & here are two sources. Regardless, I am sure that you will find it in Chinatown.

Online Sources of Thai Ingredients:
Our Favorites:
Temple of Thai
Toll free: (877) 811-8773
Email: customerservice@templeofthai.com
Note from the Source: Our favorite online market is Temple of Thai, mainly because they try to carry most of Kasma's favorite brands. They are the only place online where we have found Golden Boy brand fish sauce (one of Kasma's favorites) and her favorite shrimp paste (Klong Kone brand). In addition to hard-to-find ingredients such as Gkrachai (or rhizome) in brine, green peppercorns and fried shallots, they carry both incense candles and limestone paste. They offer several items of fresh produce individually and sometimes offer (whole) kaffir limes.

The site is easy to use with a decent search function. They are fairly good about special-ordering items that they don't have. Check out "Iowan satisfies taste for Thai" (about Temple of Thai).
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ImportFood.com
PO Box 2054
Issaquah, WA 98027
(888) 618-8424
Email: info@importfood.com
Import Food has the next best selection of items to Temple of Thai, including one of Kasma's favorite fish sauce, Tra Chang. They also have some hard to find items like green peppercorns, dried onion, and gkrachai (Rhizome). They have fresh produce (available only in a kit; only kaffir lime leaves can be ordered individually).

Search function is good. Easy site to use. Some prices a bit higher.
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Hahe a wonderful Memorial Day with your family. Your friend,

Gladys/PR