Neem flowers 🌼…. beautiful, White n delicate, neem flowers with their off-white buds are almost too pretty to be eaten with numerous therapeutic benefits. The flowers have a sweet, almost mystical jasmine like flavour , these neem flowers can be used fresh, dried or in a powdered form. They’re used commonly in the South to cook a number of dishes like podi, flower rice, pachadi, rasam, lentils and more. They’re often dry roasted and sprinkled on top of the dish to garnish as well.Neem flowers can be used to treat anorexia, nausea, belching and intestinal worms.There are quite a few south Indian dishes that incorporate neem flower. This vepapuvvu karappodi goes well with hot rice and ghee. Spicy, slightly bitter, delicious podi recipe is below.
Course: main course, side dish
cuisine: South Indian
Ingredients:
Neem flowers – 1/2 cup dried
Chana dal – 1 tbsp
Urad dal – 1 tbsp
Red chillies whole- 4 to 5
Salt to taste
Few mint leaves ( handful) ( wash & pat dry)
Tamarind – small piece
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Garlic cloves 5 to 6
Coriander seeds- 1 tbsp
Oil- 1 tbsp
Procedure:
1. Heat 1/2 tbsp oil and fry mint leaves in low flame. Add tamarind piece in that. When leaves are crisp
2. In pan dry fry chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, red chillies and cumin seeds in low flame. Switch off and keep aside.
3. In pan dry roast neem flowers in low flame. Switch off and keep aside.
4. Let all ingredients come to room temperature.
5. In a mixer jar grind all dry roasted spices with salt in to a fine powder.
6. To this add roasted mint leaves and neem flowers. Grind in to a coarse powder. Add garlic cloves and grind coarse.
7. Tranfer in to an air tight jar. Serve hot with rice and ghee.
* pregnant women should not consume this Powder.
Ananda-Kitchen 