Beat the Heat with Bela Pana

Bhubaneswar: Bela Pana is a traditional drink made from fruit pulps of Bael (also known as wood apple) in Odisha. Bela pana is offered as bhog on the occasion of ‘Pana Sankranti’ or Odia New year which is celebrated on April 14.

INGREDIENTS

SERVING: 1

• Ripe bela- 2 medium
• Ripe banana- 2 big
• Rasogola- 5 smashed (chena can be used in place of rasogola)
• Coconut- 1/2 grated
• Sugar- 12 tbsp
• Curd- 1/2 cup beaten
• Black pepper powder- 1 tbsp
• Green cardamom powder- 1 tbsp
• Water- 4 cups (as per consistency)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Break Bela and extract all the pulps to a bowl using a spoon
2. Mix some water to these extracted pulps. Mix properly by using your hands
3. Now using a strainer, strain out all the seeds and the coarse remaining
4. Keep the fruit pulp in a bowl
5. Now add banana, coconut, rasogola, curd, sugar, pepper powder, cardamom powder, and water
6. The drink shouldn’t be so much watery. So do not add much water
7. Mix properly till the sugar dissolves
8. Serve it like this or refrigerated serve it chilled.