Pumpkin seeds, whatdayacall them here?

I know pumpkin seeds are sold at supermarkets like Nature basket, Food court etc. However, one time I bought a packet at one of Chennai's marts and almost threw up (and died) when I chewed into broken pieces of glass!! It was an extremely traumatising experience for me since I am a very bad `chewer' and it was merely a fluke that at that particularly bite, some instinct kicked into me and I bit into it, to bite glass! So, in an animalistic reaction I sort of warily avoid packed pumpkin seeds. Which just shows how stupid the mind can be in its avoidance behavior --because in India, if you are talking of such careless packaging, you can bite into glass into any packed food stuff! I once found a staple pin in a dosa... You know, survival of the fittest. Or the most deliberate chewer?!!

Any case, while discovering a pumpkin seed dressing recipe (toasted seeds ground with olive oil, garlic clove, cumin seed powder, salt) I also discovered that it is highly nutritious. Protein, which I sorely need but don't bother about. Zinc, also what I need, since I do not eat meat. Magnesium, since I like its happiness quotient and muscle-powering effect. And calcium, which also I can do well with. So, having got this into my head that I MUUSST have pumpkin seeds I tried to locate it in the grocery shops around my home. And guess what, nobody stock them hereabout. I described it and was sent on wild goose chase by some well-meaning shop-keepers. Since I did not even know the name, that was sort of a difficult task, wandering about, trying to locate something that nobody had. I peered at the glass jars with dana (seeds) but found the usual suspects -- walnuts, cashew, etc. but no pumpkin seeds. Then, finally, as always happens with me, I found it at a shop close to my home (and which I had passed just then thinking he won't have it). He calls it kalingat seeds (water melon seeds). And I am having about a tablespoon of it (it also has good fats -- lack of which is puffing up my protein-fat starved eyes) daily and feeling smart...

So, if you want pumpkin seeds, you must ask for water melon seeds, in Mumbai:)