Neem Begun

I put up the photograph above in March or April I presume, but the content is being written finally on a cloudy September morning. Neem Begun (নিম-বেগুন) - the concoction of Neem leaves and brinjal/aubergine fried together is one of my favourite bitter dishes .
Neem (Azadirachta indica) , from the ancient days, have been a powerhouse of antibacterial, anti-fungal and ant-inflammatory properties. The Neem tree is regarded as the village doctor in India. It can cure skin diseases, digestive problems, teeth problem ... infact, Neem seems to have a certain level of curative capability for almost all diseases. The leaves, fruits and bark of this evergreen tree is used as ingredients for several Ayurvedic concoctions.
As a kid, I was introduced to Neem in a really bitter way! Neem is supposed to be anti-pox, so in the months of February- March, my father would make it a point that we drink a grassful of boiled Neem water in the morning. It did not have to be in empty stomach. The intake was important. Now when I look back, I realise, Neem was the only reason which helped me get rid of the worms in my stomach and also make my skin glow and hair shine.
Eating Neem-Begun along with rice at the beginning of lunch was another ritual that was followed. New, tender, rust colored neem leaves are deep fried with brinjals cut into small pieces. The fry is eaten mixed with rice. This food will surely enhance your appetite.

Ingredients:
1. A small bunch of tender neem leaves
2. Small brinjal- 1
3. Oil for frying
4. Salt and Turmeric

Procedure:

1. Dice the brinjal into small pieces.
2. Segregate the neem leaves from their stems.
3. Heat little oil in a pan.
4. Sprinkle the brinjal with salt and turmeric, and fry them till they become brownish.
5. Remove brinjal from oil, heat oil twice, and add the neem leaves
6. The neem leaves should get crisply fried, but they tend to get burnt easily, so be careful.
7. Add the fried brinjal back to the pan and mix well.
8. Serve Neem Begun with plain hot rice at the beginning of your meal