It is the puthandu (Tamil new year), and the gorgeous white neem flowers are bountiful. Across many households in the south of India, the flowers are incorporated into special recipes. Not just because they taste good, but also because they bring home the message that life is beautiful like the neem tree, but it also brings with it bitterness, which is necessary for the good health of the body, mind and soul. Here’s a quick recipe of neem flower rasam.

Neem flowers are used in various food preparations. Roasted flowers crumbled on hot plain steamed rice, with a generous helping of ghee, make for a perfect summer lunch. These flowers can be dried, preserved and used throughout the year. Here’s how.