A couple of days back, I made Bael Sherbet for the very first time. We all loved it !! I also realised at that point in time that despite spending 25 years in Delhi, I had totally missed this summer cooler. I would see the fruit being sold everywhere, but I didn’t know how to use it. None of our friends ever told us or gave us Bael Sherbet. What a miss…
Bael Fruit
Bael fruit is also known as wood apple, stone apple, or Bengal quince. This native fruit is packed with nutrients and medicinal properties. The tree is called the “Bel” tree or “Vilva” tree in Tamil. Bhagwan Shiva loves the leaves and devotees always offer it to the Shiva Linga. Sadhguru speaks about the significance of the Vilva or Bilva leaves.
The Bael fruit contains several vitamins (A,B, C and Riboflavin) besides other nutrients that reduce inflammation, help in controlling diabetes, cure diarrhoea, heal ulcers and also help in controlling cholesterol. Essentially, this is a super fruit ! Its also a summer coolant.
Making the Bael Sherbet
The outer shell is hard, so use your spice pestle or something else to break the shell. Scoop out the pulp into a vessel. Add water and squeeze the pulp and seeds, like you squeeze tamarind or kokam. You can leave it overnight or use a strainer to remove the seeds and some of the thick fibrous strands. Add some sugar/jaggery/palm sugar, a pinch each of pepper powder, cardamom powder, and salt. Dilute it to the consistency you want and enjoy the sherbet !
A word of caution from Ayurvedic doctors – please have the sherbet before Sunset, ideally during early afternoon. As always, remember that this is a fruit, not to be combined with food. Have the sherbet before having food or two hours after.
Am still wondering as to how we missed having this cool sherbet. Anyway, enjoying it this summer. Note – this fruit seems to be largely available in the North, not so much in the South.
Do try and post your reactions.
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