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Neem begun
Neem leaves with aubergine
নিম বেগুন (neem begun): tender neem leaves fried with aubergine, the bitter opener of a Bengali meal
Neem begun opens a traditional Bengali lunch in spring, especially around Poila Baisakh, when the neem trees of West Bengal put out soft new leaves. A few tender leaves are fried crisp in mustard oil, then tossed with small cubes of fried aubergine so the bitterness is softened by the creamy brinjal. Eat a spoonful or two with the first mouthfuls of rice, before the dal. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet and is meant to be eaten in small amounts, as Bengali cooks always have. About 110 kcal and 7 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is frying the neem too long, which turns it black and acrid; it needs only seconds. Chef's tip: dry the leaves completely on a cloth before they go into the oil, or they spit and steam instead of crisping.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- ½ oz tender neem leaveswashed and patted completely dry
- 9 oz auberginecut into 1 cm cubes
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Toss 9 oz aubergine with ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp salt.
1 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a small karai over a medium heat. Fry ½ oz tender neem leaves for 20–30 seconds, stirring, until dark green and crisp but not black. Lift out onto a plate.
1 minStep 3: Fry the aubergine in the same oil for 8–10 minutes, turning, until golden on all sides and soft through when pressed.
10 minStep 4: Crumble the neem leaves over the aubergine, toss for 30 seconds and serve a small spoonful per person with rice at the start of the meal.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does neem begun take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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