vepampoo rasam

Vepampoo rasam(Neem flowers rasam) is a simple rasam made with the flowers of neem. This can also be classified as medicinal food as vepampoo has medicinal properties.

Ingredients:
tamarind - marble sized
jaggery - marble size
turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
asafoetida - a small pinch
salt to taste
a sprig of curry leaf

To season:
ghee --- 1 table spoon
dried vepampoo -- 1 table spoon
dry red chillies -- 2 no's
jeera --- 1/2 teasspoon

Method:

Boil tamarind, jaggery, turmeric, asafoetida in 2 cups of water.
when boiled the tamarind becomes tender simmer it on stove.

In another kadai, heat ghee and roast the vepampoo. remove the vepampoo and keep aside. In the same kadai with the remaining ghee roast jeera,dry red chillies and curry leaf.

Add the roasted jeera, dry red chillies and curry leaf to the simmering tamarind mixture. switch off the stove and add the roasted vepampoo to the rasam in the end and close with a lid. The vepampoo will infuse its flavour and goodness into the rasam.

Vepampoo rice
Alternatively the roasted vepampoo can also be mixed with plain rice and ghee.This is called vepampoo saadam( neem flower rice). Even today my family elders make this a practice of eating this rice once in a week. It de-worms and flushes out the toxins.