Neypathal/ Neypathiri/ Deep Fried Rice Puris

Whoever said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, needs a pat on his/ her back. So very true... Some men literally depend on their stomach to love their women, don't they??? :) My D and B are very easy to please - you give them anything, they eat. They don't even give opinions, which is a tad a bit irritating, especially when you expect them to give feedback for improvements. But then I take it this way - they don't say anything, means it is fine to their tastes!!!

But the case of my HD is different. He does not complain, nor does he demand that he needs so and so. That's the biggest problem. If I ask him about the food, he says it is good, and then just eats one chapathi with the curry or has just one peice of the snack or cake prepared. That kind of frustrates me. I then ask him, "You told me it's good, why don't you eat more then?" He smiles and says, "If it tasted bad, would I even touch it?" My tongue gets tied...

Then slowly I realize what he likes is more of "naadan" (country) food. He is a thick Payyolian at heart. Nothing for him is as good as the "tyre pathiri" (thick rice pancakes, steamed through a banana leaf) along with fish curry, or tapioca cooked along with sardine. Unfortunately, whatever he wants me to cook, I have no inkling how to cook!!! And just like my umma, my in-law also gives approximates, but HD wants me to match her by taste, which I definitely cannot - she is such a gifted cook! Just like my umma, her cooking is limited but whatever she cooks, tastes extraordinary. So to cut the story short, I know now that if I have to get my HD to eat properly, I have to learn some northern Malabar delicacies!

This is the first one I tried - the Neypathal. When we were at his cousin's house and were served this, he sarcastically remarked, "Ninakithokke undakikoode??" (Why can't you make this?) So I made it a point to get the recipe from her and make it. This is an easy version, there is another where you soak the rice, grind it, put it on a thick cloth for it to become like dough, etc. etc. But that can wait! I should say that he was so satisfied that whatever I had made up was finished by him and B, I didn't have any to carry to office next day for lunch. :)