Wood Apple Juice Recipe

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Wood apple juice is refreshingly sweet and tangy, and the perfect way to cool down in hot months. Wood apple fruit has as very unique flavor, and a variety of health benefits!

NOTE: This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on June 6, 2014 when I lived in Kuwait.

Chandra, one of my sweet Sri Lankan friends, recently visited Sri Lanka and came back to Kuwait with all kinds of stories about her homeland. I had to live vicariously through her, listening to her exotic tales and seeing her country’s beauty through her eyes, because it’s unlikely that I’ll get the chance to visit.

She also came back with a ton of fruit for me – huge, fragrant Sri Lankan pineapples (I made them into the most refreshing pineapple popsicles of my life!), Alphonso mangoes, and wood apples – and if you know me, you can probably guess that I was just about shrieking with delight.

As much as I love pineapple and mango, I was excited to start with what was new to me: wood apples (which are also called elephant apples, monkey fruit, and curd fruit)!

What Are Wood Apples?

Limonia acidissima (wood apple) is such an interesting fruit. Wood apples look like a potato or a small melon, but with a harder shell. The shell isn’t quite as hard as a coconut shell, but I’d say it’s more similar to a coconut shell than anything else.

How to Open Wood Apples

I asked Chandra how to open wood apples and she surprised me by picking one up, bending down with a smile, and throwing it hard onto the tile floor to smash it open. Once open, you can get at the pulp inside.

What do Wood Apples Smell Like?

And when they’re open, you can really smell the intoxicating aroma of wood apple. To me, it smells like a mix of overripe banana, mango, and maple syrup, with a slightly vinegary, musky, fermented finish. I also picked up notes of something more astringent, like peppermint, menthol, or camphor. It’s quite a heady smell; I can see how it wouldn’t be some peoples’ thing, but I love the complex aroma.

What do Wood Apples Taste Like?

Similar to tamarind, wood apples are quite sour as-is (especially the smaller fruits), so once the pulp is scooped out, it’s frequently made into juice, which is the recipe I’m sharing. It’s a very easy process, but note that the juice will need to sit overnight, so be sure to give yourself enough time.

The finished juice (called bael ka sharbat in India) is quite delicious. It smells exotic and is sweet from the added sugar, but with a refreshingly tart finish, similar to lemonade. I think it’s the perfect cooler for a hot day, but Chandra told me that it’s commonly drunk warm, except for when you add coconut milk. She highly recommended the addition of coconut milk to give it a creamier texture and to round out the flavors. I like it both ways – with and without coconut milk – but I much prefer it iced either way!

wood apple juice with pitcher of juice and jug of coconut milk

Wood Apple Health Benefits

If you can find wood apples where you live, I definitely recommend giving this recipe a try. The health benefits alone are incredible (among other things, wood apples are said to be immune-boosting, anti-oxidant, and anti-microbial); here are just a few:

Supports Digestive Health: Wood apples are useful for alleviating indigestion, diarrhea, dysentery, peptic ulcers, and intestinal worms.
Supports Respiratory Health: Wood apples have decongestant and cough suppressant properties.
Promotes Detoxing and Cleansing: Wood apples boost kidney and liver function, and also cleanse the blood.
Anti-Diabetic Activity: Wood apples help balance blood sugar and regulate insulin.

(DISCLAIMER: Information on the health benefits of wood apples in this post is from Organic Facts and Just Agriculture. Please note that I am NOT a doctor or medical practitioner of any kind. Nothing in this post should be construed as medical advice. If you need medical advice you should immediately seek a physician’s care.)

Ingredients

Breaking It Down

Ingredients Explained

In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.

To Soak:

Wood apple pulp – Open the wood apples and scoop out their pulp.
Water – We soak the pulp overnight in water to help get as much juice as possible.

Simple Syrup:

Coconut sugar – Traditionally jaggery is the sweetener for this juice. Coconut sugar (made from coconut palm sap) is a good replacement that’s widely available. You can also use light brown sugar if that’s what you have access to.
Water – A standard simple syrup uses a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water.

To Finish:

Water – To combine with the soaked wood apple pulp to make a juice-like consistency. (Feel free to add more or less water so the juice is as thick or thin as you like it.)
Coconut milk – Coconut milk is optional, and usually only added if this juice is served cold.
Ice – Ice is optional. You can serve this drink hot or cold.

How to Make Wood Apple Juice

Soak. Add the wood apple pulp and 1 1/2 cups water to a medium bowl and stir, mashing the pulp with a fork to combine well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Strain. After the pulp has soaked, strain it through a fine mesh sieve placed over a bowl to catch the liquid. Use a rubber spatula to help you extract all the liquid from the pulp, and then discard the pulp.
Make the simple syrup. For the simple syrup, add the sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium heat; stir until the sugar is dissolved, and then remove from the heat.
Sweeten the juice. Cool the simple syrup slightly, and then add it to the bowl of wood pulp liquid. Stir in 2 cups of water to finish.
Enjoy. Serve warm, at room temperature, or iced (personally I like it best iced). If you’re serving it cold, it’s common to add coconut milk. (Add coconut milk to taste; I like about 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces of juice.)

Storage

Store this juice in a covered glass container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Wood Apple Juice Tips

Don’t skip the overnight soak. Soaking wood apple pulp in water before making juice helps you get the most juice out of the fruit.
If you enjoy refreshing tart drinks, you might not want to add any sweetener to this. Traditionally in Sri Lanka, they sweeten this juice with jaggery, which lends an earthy sweetness with notes of caramel and molasses. You an always try the juice before adding simple syrup to see if you like it unsweetened.

glass of homemade wood apple juice with ice

Frequently Asked Questions

What does wood apple juice taste like?

It is quite complex. Wood apple juice tastes like a mixture of sweet apples, exotic fruit (like mangoes), dried fruit (raisins in particular), and citrus (lemon) or tamarind, with an underlying over-ripe, slightly sour, earthy, musky flavor.

What is the texture of wood apple juice?

It has a viscosity to it; wood apple juice is quite thick and pulpy, similar to peach or mango nectar.

More Refreshing Fruity Recipes to Try This Summer

Indian wood apple juice on serving tray with coconut milk

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Wood Apple Juice Recipe

By: Faith Gorsky

Yields: servings

Fruity, sweet, and tangy wood apple juice tastes like a blend of exotic fruit with an underlying musky, fermented flavor. For a refreshing drink to cool down with, serve it cold with a splash of coconut milk for richness and creamy texture.

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