Bel ka sharbat

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe bel (wood apple)
• 4 cups cold water
• 4–5 tbsp jaggery or sugar
• A pinch of black salt
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder (optional)

Method

1. Crack the hard shell of the bel and scoop out the pulp.
2. Soak the pulp in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes, then mash it well with your hands.
3. Strain through a sieve, pressing to extract as much pulp as possible and leaving the seeds and fibres behind.
4. Add the rest of the water, jaggery, black salt and cumin. Stir until the jaggery dissolves.
5. Serve chilled.