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Bhikshaam Dehi --------------------------------------------Leave your Suggestions & Queries
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Recipe Text
Ingredients:
Navigate to the end of this section to know more about this fruit
Bael Fruit Pulp – 90gms
Artificial Sweetener – 5 Measures
Sugar Or Jaggery may be substituted for Artificial Sweetener
Salt – To Taste
Pepper Powder – To Taste
Water – 500ml (Divided Into Two Portions of 250ml Each)
(Online Conversion utility to convert Gms to Cups & Temperatures etc)
Method:
Break bael fruit as one breaks a coconut. Break bael fruit by hitting on the ground. It breaks easily. Separate the broken bael fruit into two parts. Break open and take out the pulp with a spoon. When serving for two people use half of the bael fruit—that would be sufficient. When fresh fruit is not available use dried bael fruit which is available in shops selling ayurvedic products. Soak the dried fruit overnight and boil till soft before extracting juice.
Fix a dough kneading blade to the food processor bowl. Add the bael fruit pulp and 250ml water to the processor bowl and run it. After making the juice we need to strain it to remove seeds and pith. For this use a large holed strainer to strain the juice. It is important to remove the seeds and pith but not the fiber—so strain it with a large holed strainer. Run the processor till the seeds separate from the pulp. Strain the prepared juice into the large holed strainer and press with the back of a ladle to extract juice. The residue remaining in the strainer, need to be processed again to extract the remaining juice. So take the residue back into the processor bowl and add the remaining 250ml water and run the processor. Strain the juice into the large holed strainer. Observe that the consistency of the juice is thin compared to the juice extracted earlier. As nothing remains in the residue left in the strainer, discard it. Taste the juice to find its own unique flavor and taste. Add salt, pepper and sweetener to enhance the taste of the juice—so add in moderation. Add in little quantities and taste it before adding more. Add salt, freshly ground pepper and artificial sweetener and mix well. Sugar or grated jaggery may be substituted for artificial sweetener. Refrigerate the juice to chill before serving.
Bael fruit has many health benefits. It gives relief for those suffering from stomach disorders like gastric problems. For those suffering from constipation it works as a natural laxative.
Stir well before serving. Serve chilled in tall glasses. Every fruit has its unique flavor & taste which may not be compared with other fruits flavor or taste. Enjoy the fruit, its juice and the health benefits it provide in the natural form.
Points to Remember:
Bael fruit is generally available from February (During the festival Shivaratri) till mid May. It is rarely available in the market. When it is available use and get the health benefits along with the unique taste.
The pulp will be sticky to touch. For those who do not have food processor, take the pulp and water in a large deep bowl and press between fingers to separate the seeds and soften the pulp to extract juice. It is a tedious work.
To ease the work I have used a food processor with dough kneading blade. Using a dough kneading blade will not crush the seeds there by changing the taste.
Use sugar, grated jaggery or artificial sweetener to sweeten the juice.
Normal healthy people may use sugar to sweeten the juice. Those suffering from Asthma may use grated jaggery which is beneficial. For diabetics and health conscious people artificial sweetener is the alternative.
Do not add more salt, pepper and sweetener and spoil the natural taste of the juice. Add in moderation, taste it and add more if required only.
Some additional points;
In Hindu custom for every God a flora (plant) is associated as his favourite fruit / leaf for worship. Similarly a fauna (an animal) is associated as his vehicle. This concept is introduced to promote ecological balance in the nature. To propitiate Lord Shiva, it is suggested that we should worship him with Bilva Dalam, i.e Bael leaves. In other words to please him we need to have a Bael tree to pluck the leaves and perform puja. Once there is a tree, it would bear fruits we would enjoy.
It is suggested that one should have Beal juice atleast once in a year during its season. It's believed that it has a property to clean the entire small and large intestines. Its said that it throws out even the old accumulated faecal matter from the folds of the large intestine.
Following is the additional information on this fruit as obtained from http://www.home-remedies-guide.com/herbs/bael-fruit.htm
After enjoying a fruit, don't throw away the seeds into the trash can. Try to broadcast it in the vacant spaces in your neighbourhood. It can really help in bringing up some tree for our future generations. Many times the fruits which we enjoy today have been planted by our grand-grand-fathers. Help to raise trees for our children and grand children.
Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Bael Fruit
Bael Fruit
Bael is a large tree that grows up to 8 to 10 meters in height. It has a big stout trunk, unusual branches with long, straight outgrowth, aromatic leaves, sweet scented and green-white flowers. The fruit is woody and smooth, 5 to 15 cm in diameter. It has numerous seeds which are densely covered with fibrous hair and are embedded in a thick aromatic pulp. The flesh is eaten fresh or dried.
The bael fruit consists of moisture 61.5 percent, protein 1.8 percent, fat 0.3 percent, minerals 1.7 percent, fiber 2.9 percent and carbohydrates 31.8 percent per 100 grams of edible portion. Its mineral and vitamin contents include calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin and vitamin C.
Botanical Name- Aegle marmelos
Indian Name- Bel or Siriphal
Health Benefits of Bael Fruit
Below are some of the medicinal properties of bael fruit:
- Ripe bael fruit is regarded as the best natural laxative. It cleans and tones up the intestines. Its regular use for 2 or 3 months throws out even the old accumulated faecal matter. For best results, it should be taken in the form of sherbet, which is prepared from the pulp of the ripe fruit. After breaking the shell, the seeds are removed, with the contents spooned out and sieved. Milk and sugar are added to make it more palatable. The pulp of the ripe fruit can also be taken without the addition of milk or sugar. About 70 grams of the fruit will suffice for an adult.
- The unripe or half-ripe fruit is very effective in treating chronic diarrhea and dysentery where there is no fever. Best results are obtained by the use of dried bael or its powder. The bael fruit, when it is still green, is sliced and dried in the sun. The dried bael slices are powdered and preserved in airtight bottles. The unripe bael can also be baked and used with jaggery or brown sugar.
- The root of this tree is used as a remedy for curing ear problems. A stiff piece of the root is dipped in neem oil and lighted. The oil that drips from the burning end is a highly effective medicine for ear problems. The antiseptic properties of neem combined with the astringent extract of bael root helps in curing infection, chronic inflammation and discharge.
- An infusion of bael leaves is regarded as a valuable remedy for peptic ulcer. The leaves are soaked overnight in water. This water is strained and taken in the morning. The pain and discomfort are relieved when this treatment is continued for a few weeks. Bael leaves are rich in tannin which reduces inflammation and help in the healing of ulcer. Bael fruit taken in form of a beverage also has great healing properties on account of is mucilage content. This forms a coating on the stomach mucosa and this helps heal ulcers.
- Medicated oil prepared from bael leave gives relief from recurrent colds and respiratory affections. The juice extracted from bael leaves is mixed with equal quantity of gingelly or sesame oil and heated thoroughly. A few seeds of black pepper and half a teaspoon of black cumin are added to the heated oil. It is then removed from the fire and stored for use when necessary. A teaspoon of this oil should be massaged into the scalp before a head bath. Its regular use builds up resistance to colds and coughs.
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