The hard-shelled wood apple cracked open to reveal its tangy, aromatic pulp, mixed with jaggery, water, and a pinch of salt into a refreshing, sweet-sour drink — Sri Lanka's most beloved natural beverage.
Ingredients
2 wood apples (divul)
4 tbsp jaggery or palm treacle (kithul pani)
2 cups cold water
Pinch of salt
Ice cubes
Instructions
1Crack the hard shell of the wood apple using a heavy knife or mallet. Scoop out the brown, sticky pulp into a bowl.
2Add water to the pulp and work it with your fingers or a spoon to separate the pulp from seeds and fibers.
3Strain through a sieve, pressing to extract maximum juice. Discard seeds and fibers.
4Add jaggery or palm treacle and salt. Stir until dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness.
5Serve over ice. Can be thinned with more water if too thick.
Did You Know?
The wood apple shell is so hard that it must be cracked with a mallet — and the first whiff of the opened fruit is so pungent that first-time tasters often recoil, not realizing the drink it produces is delicious.