SHORBOT, ICE-CREAM, KULFI!
The above had been dear to me since childhood! These days, ice-creams get me a heavier feeling in the stomach; I would prefer a chilled drink instead! I would stand in front of a cafeteria and drool at the caramel coffee to Thai TukTuk Tea; then would have something without sugar! At home, we make good, sugar-free chilled drinks; mostly tea & coffee with fresh fruity flavours! At this time, something with orange juice is working on my mind, what you see happened last Sunday! We had a guest, and I thought of this organic, vegan, gluten-free welcome drink! There's lying inside the fruit box of the refrigerator; a week long Bael / Wood Apple and Mango!
WOOD APPLE & MANGO ARE THE SUMMER FRUITS; A MUST HAVE IN THE MAXIMUM OF THE BENGALI HOUSEHOLDS!
At least, during our younger days it was ; I absolutely follow this family or community pattern! Because we stay in a tropical island, it is easier to get all of the tropical fruits we grew up eating! Okay, the local neighbourhood shops do not sell Wood Apple but the Bengali grocery shops here sell too good quality of it; at times it feels they are better in quality and taste than the ones in Kolkata. We would start having it on the day of Shiva Ratri and continue until June, I think. Every summer, almost everyday morning we had to have wood apple drink, made either with milk or yogurt, a little of sugar! Bael / Wood Apple is a must offer to Lord Shiva on the day of Shiva Ratri & Neel Shashi! Without Mango in sight, I cannot think of a summer day & night! I love it so much so that I would bring any cheaper, local sweet variety! The man is a typical Bengali in this matter, he loves only the Bengali and Eastern Indian varieties of Mango! Our son never has known what is the "essence of Bengal", I hold myself responsible for this. He does not know what is Himsagar, neither Chausa, Dasher, Fazli, Lyangra. He loves any sweet mango, enjoys a bowl of ripe mango and roshogolla; that much of Bengal he has within him!I think, the rest would come nearer naturally to him after a certain age. As a young girl, I did not know I would ever eat drumsticks; I love it now. That was my lunch plate today!
I came back tired after a walk, Cristine cooked my porota with the leftover dough she made their porota with last night!I like Guava but not the ripe ones. My home had it, yet I could not resist picking a raw one from the tree. Some in my family branch used to clean teeth with young Neem branch & Guava leaves! I wish to wrap up soon, I am feeling drowsy, may be because I wake up a couple of time at night, make failed attempt to talk to the son! The distance between us troubles me a lot! I would still be happy if he remains safe and sound!It is the news that pours in that do not allow me to live in peace!
WHAT IS THIS BAEL AAM CHILLED NECTAR?
Two fruits of choice can together make wonder for sure; I felt! We not only love having our choice of fruit; we prefer them fresh too! For some reason or the other, one mango was loitering in the refrigerator and I was forgetting to take out the Bael, crack and use! All of a sudden, the last Saturday evening this idea of preparing fresh fruit medley, BAEL AAM CHILLED NECTAR popped up on my mind, a young guest was due. I gave a new touch to a drink that had been mandatory to have in the mornings throughout the summer. Because I preach for organic juices with fresh fruits, I just loved this vegan, gluten-free chilled drink, as refreshing & naturally sweet as a nectar!
I used a little of sugar, you can use honey or just skip using both!
BAEL FRUIT / WOOD APPLE : 1 STANDARD SIZED
RIPE MANGO : 2 STANDARD SIZED
LEMON JUICE : 2 TBSP
SUGAR : 2 TSP [YOU CAN USE HONEY OR SKIP BOTH]
MINCED FRESH MINT LEAF : 1 TBSP
ICE CUBE : 2-3 FOR EACH GLASS
PROCEDURE :
Dressing the Bael fruit takes some time; there are a lot of fibres & seeds. But the sweat is worth it, they say the fruit is good for our stomach!
It has a hard cover & we would hit it on the ground to break, scoop out the flesh! We would take it in a big bowl and add some drinking water!
We would keep mashing & kneading so the juice gets extracted and the fibres & seeds are left alone!
Thereafter, we would wash and take off the skin of the mango, blend the pulp in a blender!
We would add it to the Bael fruit extract, the lemon juice and sugar too! We would mix the batter like thing together!
We would either chill the drink for 2-3 hours and have or pour it into the glasses, add 2-3 ice-cubes in each before serving and having!
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