Karnataka · Sweet

Bevu Bella

Name: Bevu Bella
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: About 41 g loose mixture; eight small ritual portions of approximately 5 g
Cuisine: Karnataka
Ingredients: 40 g (about 3 tbsp loosely packed) Jaggery powder, Use dry, clean jaggery.; 1 g (about 1 tsp loosely packed) Fresh edible neem flowers, Use correctly identified, food-grade flowers; remove stems and debris.; 250 ml Water, For a brief rinse only; drain and dry the flowers thoroughly.

ಬೇವು ಬೆಲ್ಲ · Bevu-bella · Neem flower and jaggery mixture

Bevu bella is a small Karnataka Ugadi preparation combining bitter neem flowers with sweet jaggery. This uncooked version keeps the ingredients loose and crumbly, with no syrup or added liquid. Use clean edible neem flowers, dry them carefully after rinsing and mix just before sharing modest ritual portions.

Prep: 20 min
Total: 20 min
Serves: 8
Makes: About 41 g loose mixture; eight small ritual portions of approximately 5 g

vegetarian
vegan
gluten-free

Shop the ingredients 1 from Organic Mandya

By Organic Mandya Kitchen · 10 Nov 2026

In Kannada, bevu refers to neem and bella to jaggery. Their contrasting tastes are associated with accepting the pleasant and difficult experiences of the coming year. Some Karnataka households share this small preparation on Ugadi before the meal; ingredients and customs vary between families. This recipe keeps to the simple flower-and-jaggery combination, without making it into a drink or dessert bowl. It differs from Telugu Ugadi pachadi, which commonly combines six tastes in a liquid preparation. A few crumbs are enough for each serving. All kitchen measures here use 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 tbsp = 15 ml and 1 tsp = 5 ml.

Ingredients

40 g (about 3 tbsp loosely packed)Jaggery powder Organic MandyaUse dry, clean jaggery.
1 g (about 1 tsp loosely packed)Fresh edible neem flowersUse correctly identified, food-grade flowers; remove stems and debris.
250 mlWaterFor a brief rinse only; drain and dry the flowers thoroughly.

Method

Prepare the jaggery
Measure the jaggery into a completely dry bowl and break up any hard lumps with clean fingers until it is evenly crumbly.
Sort the flowers
Inspect the neem flowers carefully, removing stalks, damaged flowers and debris. Keep only clean edible flowers from a known food source.
Rinse briefly
Swish the flowers briefly in 250 ml clean water and lift them out into a fine sieve. Drain immediately rather than soaking.
Dry the flowers
Spread the flowers on a clean absorbent cloth, blot gently and leave for about 10 minutes until no surface moisture remains. Do not mix damp flowers into jaggery.
⏱ 10 min
Combine the mixture
Scatter the dry flowers through the jaggery and mix gently until evenly distributed. Keep the mixture loose; do not add water, heat it or press it into balls.
Portion and share
Divide the mixture into eight small portions of about 5 g and serve immediately. Refrigerate any remaining mixture promptly in a clean, closed container.

Shop the ingredients

Out of stock
Jaggery Powder (Bella Pudi) Dark and Unbleached

₹ 180.00

Tips

Keep the mixing bowl completely dry so the jaggery stays crumbly.
Use flowers sold or collected specifically for food; avoid flowers from ornamental trees exposed to spraying.
Distribute the small measured quantity of flowers evenly instead of leaving one intensely bitter portion.

Serving

Offer about 5 g per person as a small Ugadi ritual taste before a meal, according to your household custom.

Storage

Prepare near serving time. Refrigerate leftovers immediately and use within 24 hours; fresh flowers can introduce moisture even when the jaggery looks dry.

Variations

Use 40 g finely grated jaggery from a clean jaggery block instead of jaggery powder.
Use 0.3 g food-grade dried neem flowers in place of the fresh flowers, checking carefully for stems and debris; mix with the same 40 g jaggery.

Nutrition per serving

Energy	19 kcal
Protein	0.0 g
Carbohydrates	4.9 g
Fat	0.0 g
Fibre	0.0 g

Approximate, calculated from ingredients and divided by the stated servings. Neem flowers (1 g total) are omitted from the nutrient estimate because a suitable composition value was not established.

Questions people ask

What does bevu bella mean?

Bevu means neem and bella means jaggery in Kannada. The bitter and sweet ingredients are shared in a small Ugadi preparation associated with accepting contrasting experiences in the year ahead. Household customs differ, so the exact proportion and serving practice need not be identical everywhere.

How is it different from Ugadi pachadi?

This bevu bella is a loose, uncooked combination of jaggery and neem flowers. Telugu Ugadi pachadi commonly brings together six tastes using ingredients such as raw mango, tamarind and chilli in a liquid mixture. They are related festival preparations with different forms.

Should I use neem flowers or leaves?

Use the small measured quantity of edible neem flowers specified here. Some households use tender leaves, but they have a different bitterness and are not a direct spoon-for-spoon substitute. Choose correctly identified flowers intended for food and remove all stalks and debris.

How much bevu bella is normally served?

It is generally shared as a small ritual taste rather than a dessert portion, with the amount guided by household custom. This recipe provides eight portions of approximately five grams each. Divide the flowers evenly so no portion contains an unexpectedly concentrated cluster.

Can I prepare the mixture in advance?

You can measure the jaggery and sort the flowers separately in advance, but combine them shortly before serving for a loose texture. Blot rinsed flowers thoroughly. Refrigerate the combined mixture promptly and use within twenty-four hours rather than storing it in the pantry.