My Food Story: A neem recipe that is quick, tasty and a powerhouse for your skin and hair

My first taste of dry neem phool bhurji was at my in-laws’ place post-marriage. I wondered whether it was edible. But upon trying, I loved it. Later, I grabbed neem flowers from my mom’s house tree. In summer, we spread a cloth under the tree, collect the dry fallen flowers, clean, and sun-dry them for storage throughout the year. The recipe is quick, tasty, and a powerhouse for skin/hair. It pairs perfectly with dal-chawal, paratha, or anything else. No occasion needed. I make it anytime.

Crisp neem flower bhurji

Ingredients

Neem flower (dry & cleaned) – 1 cup

Desi ghee – 3-4 spoons

Salt – according to taste

Amchoor powder – to reduce bitterness

Method

Heat 3-4 spoons desi ghee on low flame. Add 1 cup dry neem flowers, mix well, and add salt according to taste and amchoor powder to reduce bitterness. Sauté for about 30 seconds until light brown and crisp, then turn off the gas and let it sit in the pan for extra crunch. Serve immediately with dal-chawal or paratha. Best eaten fresh.

My Food Story is a collection of stories and recipes that celebrate India’s traditional plant-based ingredients sourced from local biodiversity. You can see these recipes on our interactive dashboard (https://www.cseindia.org/page/myfoodstory).

Shikha Shukla is a social influencer/entrepreneur from Uttar Pradesh