Neem Flower Rasam, a Small Spring Bitter
Dried or fresh neem flowers briefly fried in ghee and simmered into a thin rasam with tamarind and jaggery, taken as a small cup in spring. Traditionally eaten in small amounts; not in pregnancy.
Important: this remedy is only a supportive home measure. Keep taking any medicine your doctor has prescribed, monitor your readings, and consult your doctor before adding anything new.
A bitter cup from the spring festival table
Neem flower rasam, called vepampoo rasam in Tamil Nadu and a relative of the Ugadi pachadi in Andhra and Karnataka, is a thin, tangy, lightly bitter soup made when neem blossoms in spring. It is part of festival cooking, eaten in small amounts, and is not a cure for any infection, skin problem or blood sugar condition.
Fry a small pinch of neem flowers in a little ghee until they are fragrant, then simmer them in a thin rasam of tamarind, jaggery, pepper and salt. Keep it to a small cup. Neem is traditionally not used in pregnancy or when trying to conceive, and should not be given to children. Ask your doctor if you take diabetes medicine, since neem can lower blood sugar.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon neem flowers, fresh or dried
- 1 teaspoon ghee
- A small lemon-sized ball of tamarind, 1 tablespoon jaggery, pepper and salt
How to prepare
- Soak the tamarind, extract thin juice and add jaggery, pepper and salt.
- Fry the neem flowers in ghee until fragrant.
How to use
- Pour the tamarind water over the flowers and simmer for five minutes.
- Serve as a small cup with rice, in spring only.
Helpful habits
- Pick unsprayed flowers from a tree you know.
- Keep the portion small, since neem is strong.
Precautions
- Not in pregnancy, when trying to conceive, or for children.
- Ask a doctor if you take diabetes medicine.
- Eaten as a small seasonal bitter, not a treatment for infection or skin problems.
Frequently asked questions
Is neem flower rasam a cure for infections?
- No. It is a seasonal dish, not a treatment.
Can I make it all year?
- It is traditionally a spring dish; keep it occasional.
Can children have it?
- It is not recommended for children.
