Neem flowers sautéed with red chillies, tamarind, and urad dal, then ground to a paste.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serves: 20 people
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How to Prepare
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add 20 dried neem flowers (vepampoo) and roast until they turn crisp and aromatic. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add 10 dried red chilies and roast until they puff up slightly. Remove and set aside.
Add 2 cups of grated coconut to the pan and roast until golden brown. Let it cool.
In a mixer grinder, add the roasted neem flowers, red chilies, coconut
1 cup of tamarind paste, and salt to taste. Grind into a coarse paste without adding water.
Transfer the thogayal to a bowl. Optionally, temper with 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and 1 teaspoon of urad dal in 1 tablespoon of oil and mix into the thogayal.
Serve with hot rice and a drizzle of ghee or sesame oil.