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.