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Beli mal (bael flower tea)
බෙලි මල්: dried bael flowers brewed into a fragrant, caffeine-free amber tea, sipped with a bite of jaggery
Beli mal is the herbal tea almost every Sri Lankan grandmother keeps in a tin. The small white flowers of the bael tree, the sacred tree found around temples and village gardens, are dried in the sun and brewed into a fragrant, amber drink that tastes softly floral, slightly fruity and a little bitter, a bit like a lighter chamomile. It is drunk in the morning or in the evening instead of black tea, offered at almsgivings and alongside kevum and kokis at Avurudu, and is traditionally taken after rich food to help digestion. Coriander seeds and a slice of ginger are a common addition at home. The custom is to sip it hot with a small piece of kithul jaggery held in the mouth, or stirred in. The common mistake is boiling the flowers fast for a long time: the tea turns dark and unpleasantly bitter. Simmer gently for a few minutes and then let it steep off the heat. It is ready when the tea is clear amber and smells sweet and flowery. It is caffeine-free, but bael may lower blood sugar, so check with a doctor if you take diabetes medication or are pregnant. Chef's tip: buy flowers that look pale cream; dark brown, crumbly ones are old.
- Total time
- 13 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the tea
- ½ oz dried bael flowers (beli mal)about a large handful
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp coriander seeds (optional)lightly crushed
- 2 slices fresh ginger (optional)
To serve
- 1 ⅜ oz kithul jaggeryin small pieces, or palm sugar
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Rinse ½ oz dried bael flowers (beli mal) quickly in a sieve to remove dust.
1 minStep 2: Put the flowers, 1 tsp coriander seeds and 2 slices fresh ginger in a pot with the 4 ¼ cups water and bring to the boil over medium-high heat, about 6 minutes.
6 minStep 3: Lower the heat and simmer gently for 3 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and steep for 5 minutes until the tea is clear amber and smells sweet and floral.
8 minStep 4: Strain into cups and serve hot with pieces of 1 ⅜ oz kithul jaggery to bite between sips, or stir a little in.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 40 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does beli mal (bael flower tea) take?
- About 13 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of kithul jaggery?
- Dark brown or muscovado sugar, same amount.
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