Neem begun - Neem leaves with eggplant or Brinjal

Margosa or Murraya koenigii is a tree in the mahogany family. The botanical name is Azadirachta indica.

The English name is neem.

Neem tree

This tree grows in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Mainly it is the native to India, Pakistan and Africa.

 This is a very useful tree. All parts of the tree are used for medicinal purposes. Its seeds, leaves, flower, fruits, branches and even bark are used for preparation of medicine and as an antiseptic or antibacterial agent.

                 

Cooked Neembegun- Neem leaves with egg plant

In neem begun
Neem leaves are fried until they are crisp and mixed with tiny pieces of fried brinjal
(US: egg plant) and served with hot steamed rice as an appetizer or starter.
In India in the months of spring people eat a dish named neem begun to prevent chicken pox.
Neem leaves are bitter in taste. This bitterness has all of the quality of benefits.

If you live outside India, it is not possible to get fresh neem leaves so you can use dried neem leaves dried neem leaves or neem powder.

 Dried neem leaves work just as well, although you may need to use more to get the same strong bitterness.

But if you are using powder form then be careful about the amount because it's in concentrate form, I think sprinkling would do enough but do as your taste.

 Ingredients:

• Fresh neem leaves  1 cup ( if dried more may be 1-1/2 cups)
• Egg plant or Brinjal  1 cup ( cut into thin cubes)
• Mustard seeds        1 tsp.
• Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp and a pinch while cooking
• Salt to taste
• oil                           1tsp. for frying neem leaves
• oil                           1 tsp. for frying egg plant
• oil                           1/4 tsp. for tempering. 

 Method:  

Marinate the egg plant cubes with turmeric powder and salt for 8-10 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and fry the brinjal until turns to light brown color but not burnt and set aside.

Fry the neem leaves over low heat until gets brown color and crush them.

Add 1/4 tsp oil in the same hot pan and add mustard seeds.

When mustard seeds start splattering add pinch of turmeric powder.

Add egg plant pieces and salt, stir a bit. 

Usually the egg plant get tender by the water coming from salt while stirring, but check if not then cover it for a while.

When egg plant pieces get tender add the crushed neem leaves.

Mix and mash the fried brinjal with neem leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Dried neem leaves

 I have used dried neem leaves for this recipe, because I live in outside India.

Mustard seeds and Turmeric powder

Eggplant cubes

Organic neem powder