Love of Indian Food

    At some point on this pumpkin 
journey, my love for pumpkin was
destined to intersect with my love for
Indian food! For those of you who
look at my picture tonight of a green
concoction, and do not know the 
sheer pleasure tasted in Indian 
chutney, I apologize. For those of
you who understand...this is for you!
   The first time I tasted Indian food,
I was addicted. Since then, it has been
a struggle to find that PERFECT, 
tantalizingly, addictive, mint chutney 
flavor. With each restaurant serving 
from a different area of India, some
Northern India, some South, and a 
million different varieties of just one
chutney...I had to create my own to
find that JUST RIGHT flavor I was
craving. 
    The first time I tasted food from
India was with my friend Esther, in 
Ft. Worth, Texas. She told me the 
perfect things to order, which made 
it easy! Since that first very
time, I was hooked!!!! YUM!!!! 
   Then, I found that it was hard to
find that original taste that I craved.
From different recipes, coastlines (I 
was a traveling nurse for years),
to different personalities-interpretations,
it was pure torture even asking for the
same thing. Papads-papadums, Mango
Lasses-different yogurts, Mint chutneys
vs pepper chutney...and still NOT found!
    The Indian restaurant where I live now
was physical torture! Going with friends 
and children the first time,
the waitress/co-owner chewed us out 
about wasting expensive bread when we 
left some Naan on our plates. Leaving,
and reading reviews on the restaurant,
I was surprised to find that we were not
alone. The owner/staff had insulted quite
a few customers in this fashion!!! The call of
Indian food summoned me ALONE 
for a second attempt to eat in front of 
the "Soup Nazi"(from Seinfeld.) I 
literally sat, completely rigid and ate EVERY
bite on my plate! Well, no, I smashed
three horrible bites under a bowl...but
I must have passed the test! The owner
smiled and called me sweetie. PURE 
torture!!!
   And so, this is the reason why I have
shared and perfected the flavor of this
chutney with you tonight!!! Please enjoy
without the drama attached!!! The 
papadums are a crisp delight with a 
perfection of mint/chili/cilantro chutney,
and a bonus hint of pumpkin for 
pure pleasure!!!