Neem flower rasam | Tamil New year recipes vepampoo rasam is made in all South Indian homes on Tamil New Year | Tamil varusha pirappu. I had already posted the vepampoo rasam of my mil’s version a few years back. Though I am not a big fan of this neem flower rasam, I loved this version very much. I learned this from my cousin who taught me when she visited me a few months back. I have posted a garlic rasam(with coconut milk), which I learned from her. This is yet another flavourful and tasty neem flower rasam, which is her signature recipe. As the Tamil new year is coming up in a few days (April 14th), I wanted to post this recipe of neem flower rasam |vempam poo rasam. Check out my full collection of Tamil New Year recipes.

Neem flower- rasam - 1

Method:

  • In a pan add oil and add in the toor dal, channa dal, red chili, slit green chili, and curry leaves.
  • Saute till the dal turns golden brown color.
neem flower rasam 1 - 2
  • Once it is done, finely chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan.
  • Add the tamarind extract to the pan. (soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and extract the juice by adding 1 and 1/4 cup water)
neem flower-rasam 2 - 3
  • Add rasam powder, turmeric powder, salt, and asafoetida to this. You can add sambar powder too if you do not have rasam powder.
  • Let this boil for 5-7 minutes till the raw smell goes.
neem-flower-rasam 3 - 4
  • Mix the cooked toor dal with 1 and 1/2 cups water and mash well with hands.
  • Add the toor dal water to this.
  • Add the coconut milk too. If not adding coconut milk add 1/2 tsp of jaggery.
neem-flower-rasam 4 - 5
  • Let the rasam froth up. Do not allow this to boil.
  • Switch off the flame.
  • Roast the neem flower in ghee till it turns a dark brown color.
  • Roast in low flame as it tends to burn quite fast.
neem-flower-rasam 5 - 6
  • Transfer this to the rasam.
neem flower- rasam 6 - 7
  • Neem flower rasam is ready.
Neem flower- rasam - 8
  1. You can temper mustard seeds and also add coriander leaves in the last.
  2. Coconut milk gives a nice flavor to the rasam, if you have it in hand add it.
  3. My cousin usually takes a handful of coconut and grinds in a mixie with a little warm water squeezes out the milk from this and adds it to the rasam. The coconut she adds to the curry later.
  4. Instead of toor dal water, you can add moong dal water too.
  5. Neem flower rasam pairs well with any South Indian curry | poriyal
Neem flower Rasam - 9

Neem flower rasam

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Dried Neem flower
  • 1 Tomato
  • Tamarind a small gooseberry-sized
  • 1 tsp Rasam powder
  • Salt as needed
  • ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 Red chili
  • 1 Green chili
  • 2 tsp Toor dal
  • 2 tsp Channa dal
  • 2 tbsp Cooked toor dal
  • 1 and 1/2 cup of water for dal water
  • 2 pinches Asafoetida
  • Curry leaves few
  • 2 tsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Ghee
  • 2 tbsp Medium thick Coconut milk optional

Instructions

  • In a pan add oil and add in the toor dal, channa dal, red chili, slit green chili, and curry leaves.
  • Saute till the dal turns golden brown color.
  • Once it is done, finely chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan.
  • Add the tamarind extract to the pan. (soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and extract the juice by adding 1 and 1/4 cup water)
  • Add rasam powder, turmeric powder, salt, and asafoetida to this. You can add sambar powder too if you do not have rasam powder.
  • Let this boil for 5-7 minutes till the raw smell goes.
  • Mix the cooked toor dal with 1 and 1/2 cups water and mash well with hands.
  • Add the toor dal water to this.
  • Add the coconut milk too. If not adding coconut milk add 1/2 tsp of jaggery.
  • Let the rasam froth up. Do not allow this to boil.
  • Switch off the flame.
  • Roast the neem flower in ghee till it turns a dark brown color.
  • Roast in low flame as it tends to burn quite fast.
  • Transfer this to the rasam.
  • Neem flower rasam is ready.

Video

Notes