Bela Pannaa

Cost of prepation: 25-30 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients: Ripened Bela/Wood apple/Elephant apple ( 1 no), curd ( 1 cup ),
chenna/curdled milk ( 1 cup ) or 3 rosogullas, ripe banana ( 1 no), sugar ( 3 tbs ),
ice-cubes, black pepper powder ( 1/4 tsp ).

Preparation: Break the shell of the wood apple on a hard surface and scoop out the
yellow flesh.

Put the yellow flesh in a mixing bowl and add 2 cups of cold water. Mix the flesh with the water using your fingers to extract the juice.

Strain the juice using a sieve. Transfer the remaining pulp back to the mixing bowl and add 1 cup cold water and extract any remaining juice.

Strain the juice and throw away the pulp.

Add sugar, banana, chenna/rosogulla, curd and black pepper. Mix well using your fingers.

Pour into glasses & top up with ice-cubes. Serve chilled.


Note: Bela ( also called Bel) pannaa is very popular in Orissa during the summer months.

It is offered to Lord Shiva on Panaa Sankranti day which falls on 14th of April. It is supposed to be an excellent coolant and is good for the bowels.

The leaves of this plant are also offered to Lord Shiva along with milk. Consuming a fistful of these leaves is supposed to reduce blood pressure & diabetes.