As I mentioned earlier. Neem flower is known for its medicinal value. Its good to use them in food atleast once a weak. Though most of them think its bitter in taste! I want you to change your mind and try this! It wont be that bitter afterall. This is one of the best ways to have this flower. Anyways…..here it goes.

Ingredients:

Dry neem flowers 1-2 spoons
Onion 1 large finely chopped
Garlic 1 large-peeled and semi crushed
Tomato 1 large finely chopped
Tamarind cricket ball size soaked in warm water-extract juice
Salt
Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
Chili powder 1-2 spoons
Rice flour 1 spoon
Jaggery 1 spoon
Ghee 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Asafoetida 1/2 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Channa dal 1 spoon
Dry red chilies 3
Curry leaves 1 cup
Whole black peppers 1/2 spoon.
Fresh Neem Flower twig 1 for decoration.

Method:

In a small pan, dry toast neem flowers till aromatic and deep-brown to black color. Then transfer them into kitchen tissues. Using a wooden spatula or back of your spoon….gently tap them. To make it coarse powder. Store them in air tight container.

In a Iron wok, heat ghee. Add mustard and cumin seeds to it. Let them pop and splutter well.

Then add chana and urad dal. Fry for a while. Followed by dry red chilies, pepper, asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic. Fry them till fragrant.

Now add onion and fry till it is golden color. Followed by tomatoes…..fry until they loose their water content and oil shows up on sides.

Then add salt, turmeric, chili powder, rice flour and jaggerry to this.

Add tamarind juice to this set up. Cover and cook over medium heat. Let it get cooked well. Maybe till tamarind’s raw smell is gone and it should be in gravy consistency.

Now drizzle the coarsely powdered neem flower to this. Allow it to boil once or twice and not more than twice.

If you like…..run a spoonfull of ghee again on the to of your gravy. Garnish with fresh neem flower twig. Serve with hot steam cooked rice.