Bael Fruit – Whole Fruit – 50g – Lush Raw Herb Botanicals (Aegle Marmelos)

Bael is the sun-dried fruit of Aegle marmelos, a member of the citrus family that grows a fruit inside a shell hard enough to need a hammer. Dried and sliced, it simmers into a deep amber drink that is sweet, resinous and faintly like caramelised apple — the drink Thai monks know as matoom.

Nothing else in this range tastes like it, and nothing else is prepared quite like it either. Bael needs simmering, not steeping.

• 100% pure — no fillers, no nonsense, just raw botanical excellence
• Ethically sourced and botanically processed
• Free from additives, preservatives or artificial ingredients
• Naturally sun-dried, 100% bael fruit
• Perfect for teas and herbal formulations

What is Aegle marmelos?

A deciduous tree in the Rutaceae family — the citrus family. Bael is a distant relative of every orange, lemon and lime you have eaten, and of the kumquat and the white sapote, though you would never guess it from the fruit.

The tree reaches 6 to 15 metres, with fiercely spiny branches carrying single or paired spines 1 to 2cm long. Its leaves are trifoliate — three leaflets to a leaf, shaped like a trident, which is precisely why the tree is sacred to Shiva and why bael leaves are offered in temples across India.

What is the fruit like?

A subglobose berry, 5 to 12.5cm across, with a shell so hard it has to be cracked rather than cut. Inside, 8 to 16 segments of sticky, aromatic, orange-tinged pulp hold 6 to 10 seeds, each seed wrapped in a mucilage that sets solid as it dries.

The rind carries up to 20% tannin. The aroma survives processing remarkably well, which is unusual for a dried fruit and is the reason dried bael makes a better drink than most dried fruits do.

Where does bael grow?

Native to the Indian subcontinent — studies point to the Eastern Ghats and the central to northern parts of India — and naturalised across Southeast Asia. It grows wild in dry, open forest in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh, from sea level to around 1,200 metres, on annual rainfall anywhere between 570 and 2,000mm.

It is exceptionally hardy. Bael tolerates temperature extremes and poor, acidic or alkaline soils that would kill most fruit trees, which is why it is grown on marginal land where nothing more demanding will grow.

Why is bael a temple tree?

Two reasons, one in India and one in Thailand.

In India the trifoliate leaf is read as the trident of Shiva, and bael trees are a fixture of Hindu temple gardens. The leaves are offered rather than eaten.

In Thailand, where this fruit comes from, bael is called matoom and is commonly planted at Buddhist temples — and there the dried, sliced fruit is boiled with water to make a drink long associated with monks. That is the preparation on this page.

Specification

How do you prepare dried bael fruit?

Bael is simmered, not steeped. This is the single most important thing on the page. Dried fruit is dense and woody in a way a leaf is not, and pouring hot water over it gives you faintly flavoured water. It needs sustained heat to open up.

Tea House method, as supplied: add 1–2 tablespoons to 1 litre of water in a stainless steel pan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5–10 minutes according to taste preference. The colour will deepen as it steeps. The pieces may be reused 2–4 times over the following 2 days, with flavour varying between brews.

Single cup

1 to 2 teaspoons per 250ml. Bring to a simmer and hold it there 10 to 15 minutes, then strain. It brews a clear deep amber and needs no sweetening, though it takes honey well.

The traditional Thai method

Longer and slower. A generous handful in a litre of water, brought to a boil and then simmered 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid is dark and syrupy, then strained and often served over ice. This is the version worth making if you want to understand what the fruit actually tastes like.

Reusing

Bael pieces hold up to repeated simmering better than leaves hold up to steeping. Two to four rounds over a couple of days is normal, each lighter than the last.

What does it taste like?

Sweet without sugar. The dominant notes are caramel and dried apple, with a resinous, slightly medicinal edge underneath and a faint citrus lift that gives away the family it belongs to.

It is one of the few infusions people describe as tasting cooked rather than green. If you like rooibos, roasted barley tea or dried longan, bael sits in that territory.

What else can you make with it?

• Iced matoom — simmer strong, strain, chill, serve over ice with a squeeze of lime. This is how it is drunk through a Bangkok summer.
• Bael syrup — simmer 3 tablespoons in 300ml of water down to 150ml, strain, then add an equal weight of sugar. For sodas and cocktails.
• Sherbet — the Indian preparation. A strong brew, chilled, with sugar and a pinch of salt.
• Poaching liquid — a strong bael brew poaches pears and apples into something unfamiliar and good.
• Blended base — use the brewed liquid rather than the fruit as the liquid in a smoothie.
• Winter simmer pot — with cinnamon and orange peel.

Simmering vs steeping: why it matters here

This is the difference between a good cup of bael and a disappointing one, so it is worth setting out plainly.

The rule generalises: leaves and flowers steep, fruits and roots simmer. A leaf is thin and gives up its oils in minutes. A piece of dried fruit is dense, sugary and woody, and hot water sitting on it barely penetrates. If you have ever found a fruit tea weak, this is usually why.

Why do the aromatics survive drying?

Most dried fruit loses its character. Bael does not, and the trade has remarked on it for a long time — the characteristic aroma is retained even after processing, which is unusual enough to be noted in the horticultural literature.

Part of the answer is the shell. Bael fruit sits inside a hard woody rind carrying up to 20% tannin, which protects the pulp while it ripens on the tree and while it dries afterwards. The pulp inside is sticky and sugar-dense rather than watery, so drying concentrates it instead of hollowing it out.

That is why dried bael makes a serious drink where dried apple or dried mango would give you something thin and sweet.

What does bael blend well with?

• Lemongrass — citrus sharpness against caramel depth. 2 parts bael to 1 lemongrass.
• Pandan — both sit in the sweet, nutty register. A natural Thai pairing.
• Chrysanthemum — floral lift over a heavy base.
• Ginger — the classic warming addition, if you have it.
• Kaffir lime leaf — one torn leaf in the simmer adds an aromatic edge.

Ingredients, allergens and nutrition

Ingredients: Bael fruit (Aegle marmelos). Single ingredient. Nothing added.

Allergens: This product contains none of the 14 allergens that must be declared under UK law — celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts.

We publish this before you buy because we have to. Under Article 14 of assimilated Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, food sold at a distance must carry the same mandatory information as food bought in a shop, available free of charge before the purchase is concluded and again at delivery.

Nutrition declaration: Not required for this product. Annex V of assimilated Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 exempts all forms of tea and herbal or fruit infusions containing no added ingredients that would change nutritional value, and unprocessed single-ingredient products.

Quality assurance

• Sourced from small local farmers using traditional growing methods
• A general food business product or raw material by The Wise Store Ltd in the UK
• Cruelty-free — we do not test our products on animals
• Every pack carries Batch ID, picked date and best before date

Our approach

We value the rich heritage of herbal traditions that spans centuries. Our interest in herbs is informed by both historical practices and modern understanding of botanicals.

We source our ingredients from carefully selected suppliers who follow sustainable harvesting and cultivation practices. Our production methods are designed to preserve the natural qualities of our herbs through vacuum sealing and gentle processing techniques that maintain freshness and flavour integrity.

Sustainability

Our packaging is designed to be reused. Simply wash thoroughly after use.

Return 10 empty packages — free postage — for 10% off your next order.

Herb stocks are rotated annually to ensure freshness. Please note packaging may vary as we update our product range.

How should you store dried bael?

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Best before: see base of package. Dried bael is sturdier than a dried leaf and keeps its aroma unusually well through storage. Keep it airtight anyway — the fruit still carries some residual sugar and will soften if it takes on moisture.

Questions

Do you steep bael or simmer it?
Simmer. This is the key difference from a leaf tea. Dried fruit is dense and needs sustained heat — 10 to 15 minutes at a simmer, or 20 to 30 for the traditional Thai method. Pouring hot water over it and waiting will not work.

What does bael taste like?
Sweet without sugar — caramel and dried apple, with a resinous edge and a faint citrus lift. Closer to rooibos or roasted barley tea than to anything green.

What is matoom?
The Thai name for bael. In Thailand the tree is commonly planted at Buddhist temples and the dried sliced fruit is boiled into a drink long associated with monks.

Is bael related to citrus?
Yes. Aegle marmelos is in the Rutaceae family, the citrus family, and is a distant relative of oranges, lemons, limes and kumquats.

Why is the bael tree sacred?
Its leaves are trifoliate — three leaflets shaped like a trident — which is read as the trident of Shiva. Bael trees are a fixture of Hindu temple gardens and the leaves are offered rather than eaten.

How many times can I reuse it?
Two to four rounds over a couple of days, each lighter than the last. Bael holds up to repeated simmering better than leaves hold up to repeated steeping.

Does it need sweetening?
Not usually. It brews sweet on its own. Honey works if you want more, and a pinch of salt is traditional in the Indian sherbet version.

Does it contain allergens?
No. None of the 14 allergens that must be declared under UK law. Single ingredient, nothing added.

Can I return the packaging?
Yes. Wash it out and reuse it, or send ten empties back with free postage and take 10% off your next order.

How fast is delivery?
UK standard is 1–3 days at £2.95, free over £25. Next day is £9.95 on orders placed before 12 noon.

Last updated: 8 September 2026.
Botanical data cross-checked against the PROSEA Foundation, Britannica, India Biodiversity Portal and published horticultural records.

Raw ingredient. Packaging may vary. All herbs are marked with Batch ID, Picked Date and Best Before Date. No health claims made. Information on this website is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice.