Bael

Aegle marmelos · Tropical fruit

40 pairings

Bael (Aegle marmelos), also called wood apple, Bengal quince, golden apple or stone apple, is a hard-shelled aromatic fruit of the citrus family (Rutaceae) native to the Indian subcontinent. Its woody rind hides a fragrant, sticky, orange pulp full of seeds, most famously strained, sweetened and watered down into the cooling drink sharbat.

Picking a good onedrag

Heavy, sound, sweet at the scarLight, cracked or musty

SoundPicked yellow-green, bael finishes off the tree and the stalk drops as it does. Hard green fruit is astringent — dried for medicine, not eaten fresh.Everyday best

ShellYellowish with dull patches, still sound

The weightSolid, a fraction lighter than it looks

Stem endScar dry, a faint dark ring around it

Smell at the scarThe shell gives away little, faintly woody

What to look for, from heavy, sound, sweet at the scar to light, cracked or musty.

Preparing