Veppampoo Rasam

Veppampoo or flowers of Neem, as we all know have high medicinal value. We all prepare this rasam for our celebrations on Tamil New Year day. We can make our kids to eat veppampoo, without any hesitation by giving this rasam mixed in hot rice and appalam as sidedish. (My mom made me eat in this way only!?!?) I'm happy to share the recipe with my friends.

Ingredients

Veppampoo (Neem flower) – 3 tbsp

Tamarind – 1 Amla size (approximately)
Tomato (Finely Chopped) – 1 cup
Thoor Dhall – 1 ½  tsp
Red Chillies – 3
Black pepper – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder – ¼ tsp
Curry leaves – 2 to 3 strands
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Salt – as required
Oil – for frying

Method

Heat oil in a pan and fry the Veppampoo (Neem flower) till golden brown and keep aside.

Take 1 tsp thoor dhall, red chillis, black pepper, cumin seeds, curry leaves. Roast these ingredients with little oil and grind it to a fine paste and keep aside.

Soak tamarind in water for 20 minutes and take extract with chopped tomato.  (Adding tomato to tamarind extract, will give a delicious taste to the recipe and also it takes off the bitter taste from tamarind.)

Fry the remaining ½ tsp thoor dhall with very little oil till golden brown.

Add fried thoor dhall, salt and asafoetida powder to the tamarind extract and bring to boil.

Now add the ground paste to the boiling tamarind extract and bring to boil. When it boils, add required water and cook in low flame till the froth appears. Turn off the stove.

Season with mustard seeds.

Add the fried Veppampoo and little fresh curry leaves and serve hot.

Have a nice day!