Vepampoo rasam (Neem flower rasam)is a must-have in the Tamil New Year recipe menu. My mom adds ghee roasted vepampoo in the usual tomato rasam but my mother-in-law makes a simple vepampoo rasam without any dal. In my in-law’s place we make Vepampoo rasam once in 2 weeks during weekends. After coming here, I never made it as I didn’t find neem flowers here. A few weeks back, Raks shared a good amount of vepampoo (dried neem flowers) and I made this vepampoo rasam . So I am sharing the recipe of vepampoo rasam . The rasam will not taste bitter, but if you bite the neem flowers it will give a slightly bitter taste.
Vempampoo | Dried neem flowers have a lot of health benefits. We use this in Angaya podi, which aids in digestion and is also good for postpartum women. It is generally good for removing toxins and worms from the intestine. We get the dried version easily in supermarkets nowadays. My grandmother and mother-in-law collect fresh neem flowers from the homegrown neem tree clean and dry them and store them for a year.
Also check out our Collection of Tamil New Year recipes, Neem flower rasam with coconut milk, Tamil new year lunch menu, mor milagai
Vepampoo rasam recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup thin tamarind extract
- 2 tbsp dried neemflower vepampoo
- 1 tsp ghee
- 2 tsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 tsp toor dal
- Few curry leaves
- 4-5 red chilis
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt as needed
- A pinch of asafoetida
- ½ tsp jaggery
Instructions
- Soak a tiny gooseberry sized of tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and take 1 cup of tamarind extract.
- In a pan add the ghee and add the dried neem flowers. Roast them well and take out and keep aside.
- In the same pan add oil and add the mustard seeds, toor dal, dried red chilis, curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Once the dal turns golden brown add the tamarind extract.
- Add salt and turmeric powder.
- Let this boil for 5-7 minutes in low – medium flame.
- Once done, add the jaggery and roasted dried neem flower.
- Mix well and switch it off.
- Enjoy with hot rice.
- Vepampoo rasam is ready.
- You can make this weekly once, preferably during the weekend when you make heavy meals.
Notes
1. Do not boil the rasam after adding the neem flowers. 2. Vepampoo rasam pairs well with hot rice and paruppu usili.
- Soak tiny gooseberry-sized tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and take 1 cup of tamarind extract.
- In a pan add the ghee and add the dried neem flowers. Roast them well take them out and keep them aside.
- In the same pan add the oil and add the mustard seeds, toor dal, dried red chilis, curry leaves, and asafoetida.
- Once the dal turns golden brown add the tamarind extract.
- Add salt and turmeric powder.
- Let this boil for 5-7 minutes on low – medium flame.
- Once done, add the jaggery and roasted dried neem flower.
- Mix well and switch it off.
- Enjoy with hot rice.
- Vepampoo rasam is ready.
- You can make this weekly once, preferably during the weekend when you make heavy meals.
That's super flavored rasam…
I take only in the new year day 🙂 as amma compelled me 🙂
love this very healthy and medicinally rich rasam… so yummy and so aromatic and so flavorful!!!
Sowmya
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Healthy one… But will it have the bitterness
No revathi, if u bite the neem flowers only it will taste little bitter, else rasam will be nice
very healthy n flavourful rasam….Loves the same ways as Amma prepares for us…
looks so tangy Jeyshri!
Have heard of this rasam but havent tried it myself…looks very flavourful
delicious and tempting
My favorite these days! Love it, very easy and healthy too!
Authentic n never forget on Tamil New Year….
I never thought of trying with dried one will try
looks awesome n delicious…
this is new to me, looks very delicious jeyashri!
Love this healthy rasam, i got finally my dry neem flowers recently from my mom,have to make this rasam soon.
Jesharee, yummy rasam and really nice pics! Very tempting and makes me miss my Mum! I used to turn up my nose at it every year until I left home. Now, I cannot get enough of it and my daughter turns her nose up at it 🙂 I guess that is comeuppance. Thanks for sharing the recipe with pics and that too in time for the New year. Tamil putthandu vazhthukkal and happy Vishu/Ugadhi to you, your readers and all your families.
Healthy rasam,I also bought to make rasam n pachadi:)
Healthy and flavorful rasam…
Never tried this one….Looks very good
Healthy n yum …Advance New Year wishes to you n family
very simple recipie….my grandma used to make this rasam during our visit to her in summer vacations…will try for my kid today. Thanks a lot!
When I visited Madras, I bought some from Ambika Stores. You have to wash them and then dry it. I brought a pound of it! Stick it in a ziplock bag and declare it as dried spices. My gateway was Chicago!
did u mean chana dal or toor dal?
Toor dal only. I have mentioned it too
I want very good digestive Rasam recipe as well name can you please inform that
Try garlic rasam or pepper rasam.