I call it a miracle drink and we are having it since childhood! Bael / Bengal Quince / Wood Apple has immense medicinal properties. I cannot jot down at least 10 properties of it... reasons are 2... I do not wish to believe everything of wiki... do not think that wiki knowledge is enough neither do I have the sincerity to do some homework in the library prior to this post. Let me stick to what I have known since childhood from the hearsay & personal experience! The parents, grand parents told, "you have to eat it everyday in the season"... so we did. What I miss today is a spoonful of sugar in it. However, we get good quality of bael / wood apple / Bengal Quince here & hardly need to add sugar to it unless one have a too sweet tooth! I am thankful to the Bangladeshi shops here, they really keep you rooted. One like me with a Bengali tooth would find it difficult without these stores. Each year during the season, I would get them a couple of time...
If you say so I wish to have it throughout the year, of the few things from the past my husband relish, this is one. Then, production is round the year only when something is universally accepted or popular. I think something like "bael er pana" should be made a popular health drink ... it truly helps in normalising your bowel movement. The husband is leaving home again for a week, I had to serve it last Saturday because I know he would have it... I do not wait for him to enjoy things he does not enjoy. The son perhaps do not enjoy it... so long he has sugar free Olong & Ayataka tea, Soya Milk all day through, I do not force anything on to him.... I am not the kind who can force anything on anyone. It is tiring, it is energy consuming. I still hope that our son will someday love most of the delicacies of his root that he does not like now or I may die watching the death of Bangaliana at this home.
I see many from my generation here who do not have any idea about the heirloom Bengali dishes, it is just as irritating as I not knowing the functions of a computer box. While you wonder what my head is actually filled with... "goborpora?".... I keep wondering "era ki je khichuri ranna randhe... ja kheye boro hoyeche tar chemistry janar icche porjonto hoyni eder".... Definitely I will limit my liking towards those who manage both sides well and will like more those who have the guts to say in public "torkari diye biryani khaoar bodoley sheko bish kheye mora bhalo".... You bet when I read this in a column .... I could not stop giggling for the next few days... What should be my treat for such people?... "katlar kalia, aloo diye pathar patla jhol, murgir kosha, chingri bhora potol, fulkopi-motorshuti diye moongdal, dhokar dalna, shukta, pathar chorbir bora".... with the slogan... "esho kichu korey dekhai... kheye mori".... Since childhood, I have been told that I have a "pocha shorir"... I was / is obese, foodie, every summer I used to have sores and all these were uncanny in a family of athletes... both parents and the brother were concerned but allowed me to eat. My once khokho & kabadi champion mother still says "shorir ta akhono jhorjhorey holona".... she has the right you know... I saw her running at the parent's meet in our school while I till date could not take part in the son's school meets.... neither the husband or the son is a sporty type. I fear targets, competitions you know.... an average is that way... My comforting message to my family is that I will stay true to my roots until my death with similar kinds like a "dudh ba doi diye bael er pana".... sometimes with a coveted twist like this DAAB ER JOL DIYE BAEL ER SHORBOT.
This thick, sweet drink is still ok but my maternal grandfather made me drink "chiroter jol" too. After few years of force feed, I refused to once in the middle school. I see them too in the Bangladeshi stores... too scared to start again.... the only reason of my staggering blood sugar level is my inability to follow a proper diet chart. Too much of attachment to food is a mental disorder and why I am unable to get over it?... The sight of food gives me much of pleasure. Below is what we ate yesterday for lunch and what I started with this morning. There was some leftover dough from Saturday night that fetched me 7 luchis.... and how the husband gets irritated... he does not want rice and breads together... I was lazy enough not to prepare a fresh dough. There was a fight again, finally I won and made him eat both. This morning the son took Cristine made noodles in his lunch box which I had to taste and also the sugar free, plain cake that I prepared yesterday evening for the son's snack box. Now, planning a "sama chal er khichuri" for my lunch... he "sugar er bori" is not at fault you know.
Tell me what went slightly wrong in the cake?... I think I used a bit more baking soda than required, I could make out from the smell... I may also have over beaten it that caused that wide breakage at the top... The husband left, that makes me feel lonelier... his jokes on me and his mother are what I enjoy.... Yet, I am feeling better ... I have stopped bleeding since early morning... I am really very fond of old Dr. Chang in the truest sense... his presence, his words of wisdom to his patients works like magic... He flatly told me yesterday not to worry... that he will not check me but his wife will once I get dry.... that diabetes is a silent killer but we are not a saint that we can religiously follow a stricter diet, that he loves spicy, Indian food.... of which Biryani the most.
I can see some hope in today's bright sunny morning! Similar bright was the morning few years back when I met someone at the airport.... the elder brother kind did I meet after 30-32 years... I did not really expect any concern for my health from that person... as a teen I always feared his persona and always wished... sincerely wished that he generates his strong personality, his good vive into his sibling... it will work as a protective shield for the very soft kind.... when this guy told me that why I am not trying some Oriental medicine... I got surprised, eyes got wet .... Although he has a clear idea of my husband's temperament, I did not wish to say that he believes only in Allopathy. I hate arguments specially when someone is showing some concern.... Keeping my respect intact for these kinds who believe in alternative medicine, I try my hands on a "ucche sheddo".... "bhindi sheddo" or a DAAB ER JOL DIYE BAEL ER SHORBOT .... I can swear on the immediate effect of this purely natural, healthy drink that has laxative properties... hence, go ahead.... buy from the local market or order online... you do not have to think about the recipes.... there are a couple of around including CURRY AND SPICE to help you out. What else?... let me finish quick and go for a swim... for over one hour today, feels lighter!
BAEL / BENGAL QUINCE / WOOD APPLE : 1STANDARD SIZED
YOUNG COCONUT WATER : 1BIG GLASS FULL
LEMON JUICE : 3-4TBSP
SUGAR : 2TBSP [ALTERNATIVELY SUGAR FREE STEVIA]
ROSE WATER : 4-5 DROPS
PROCEDURE :
Breaking the hard shell of the bael fruit is to be done carefully.... we do not want cracks on the floor... not at all in a rented home... neither our foreheads are the coveted surfaces... although you may wish to consider your husband's but you should not... come on... be nice.
So, just hit once on the floor.
Scoop out the flesh with help of a spoon and store on a bowl.
Cristine did it for me and I am so thankful to her. Now wash your hands with soap. Rub both palms with a sanitiser. Start squeezing and mixing with your right palm holding the bowl tight with your left.
It takes some time. Add 1/2 big cup of water and continue until it gets mashy.
Now take a strainer not meant for spices. Take a little amount and pass through the strainer, use the back of a tablespoon. The idea is to discard all the thread like fibres and seeds.
Add the sugar, coconut water, lemon juice. Stir until the sugar melts.
Set for chill.... enjoy and see the result next morning!
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