Bael Sherbet is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe from the 1860s for a classic drink of bael fruit pulp sweetened with sugar and thinned with water. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Anglo-Indian version of: Bael Sherbet.
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
This is a traditional Anglo-Indian recipe redacted from the volume THE INDIAN COOKERY BOOK: A Practical Handbook to The Kitchen in India (author unknown), published by: WYMAN & CO., HARE STREET CALCUTTA circa 1869.
.
Original Recipe
280.—Bael Sherbet
Take a perfectly ripe sweet bael, and scoop out the whole contents into a bowl; make a paste of it
with a little water; then add sugar to taste, and as much water as will bring it to the consistency of
good honey; then pass it through a fine sieve, leaving all the fibres and seeds behind; it is a most
delicious drink, and if taken early in the morning in rather a liquid state—say of the consistency of
porter—serves as a most effective aperient in a natural and healthy form; but if taken of the
consistency of thick pea or potato soup, it has a directly contrary effect, and as such is invaluable in
all cases of relaxed bowels.
Modern Redaction
This is a classic and refreshing Bengali sherbet drink, known as Bel Ka Sharbat that is still made to this day.
Ingredients:
1 ripe bael (Bengal quince/wood apple)
sugar, to taste
water to thin
Method:
Halve the bael, scoop out the flesh and seeds into a bowl then mash to a paste, adding a little water as needed.
Sweeten to taste then add water to bring the consistency to that of double (heavy) cream. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl or jug, leaving the fibres and seeds behind.
You can chill and drink as is, or add more water to thin down to the consistency of single (light) cream and serve for breakfast.
Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.
