Neem Flower Rasam (Vepampoo)

Ingredients

• 2 tsp neem flower

• 1 gooseberry-sized tamarind ball

• 2 green chillies, slit

• 1 dried red chilli

• 1/8 tsp asafoetida

• 1/2 tsp sambar powder

• salt to taste

• jaggery as per taste

For tempering

• 2 sprigs curry leaves

• 2 green chillies, slit

• 1 dried red chilli

• a pinch of asafoetida

• 1/8 tsp fenugreek seeds

• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

• 1 tsp toor dal

• 1/4 tsp chana dal

• ghee for tempering

Method

In a cooking pot, boil the extracted tamarind pulp by adding 4 cups of water.

To this, add salt, green chillies, red chilli, asafoetida and sambar powder.

Boil it well for 2 minutes till the raw smell of tamarind goes away.

Heat ghee in a pan. When hot, temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, chana dal, toor dal, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and red chilli.

Pour this into the rasam, add jaggery and let it boil for a minute.

Again, heat the ghee in a pan.

Sauté the neem flowers in the ghee over a slow flame patiently till it turns brown and you get a nice aroma of the neem flowers.

Pour this over the rasam and close the lid of the vessel.