An underrated native Indian summer fruit that’s packed with nutritional benefits — bael or wood apple makes the ideal summer thirst quencher!
For those who aren’t familiar with this fruit:
Bael (wood apple) has a hard woody shell with a soft, sweet, fragrant and fleshy pulp inside. The moment you break it open it smells sooo beautiful — a gentle floral fragrance that’s like roses and citrus!
Besides the gorgeous fragrance and the sweet taste, bael also has a host of health and nutritional benefits:
- great for heart health and lowering cholesterol
- helps with digestive issues and constipation
- gut healthy
- rich in vitamins b & c
- doesn’t spike blood sugar
The easiest way to have it is by making a drink or sharbat which is super cooling, hydrating, and refreshing. The best part? It requires only 1 ingredient, and is naturally sweetened.
The trickiest part is probably opening the bael – to break open the bael, use a pestle to tap the woody exterior along the circumference until you crack it open and separate the halves.
A chilled glass on a hot summer day instant cools you down from the inside out.
Bael Summer Cooler
Serving Size: Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 large bael or wood apple
- 2 litres water
- a few teaspoons of powdered sugar (optional)
Directions
- Crack open the bael and scoop out all the flesh using a spoon
- Add all the flesh to a large bowl and cover with cool water. Cover and let it soak for at least 4-6 hours.
- Once soaked, strain the water out using a fine mesh strainer. Be careful not to squeeze or disturb the pulp and sediment while straining, or your drink will be cloudy.
- This cooler is very lightly sweetened with the natural sweetness of the fruit. If you prefer it sweeter, just mix in some powdered sugar before serving.
- Pour on ice and serve chilled!
