HEALTHY BILIMBI RECIPES

Health Benefits of Bilimbi (Bimla)

  Bilimbi fruit is the good source of proteins , fiber , phosphorus , iron , calcium , carotene , ascorbic acid (Vitamin C ) , niacin , riboflavin ,thiamine , thiamine etc
It also contains antioxidants that prevent free radicals from invading our bodies .

Bilimbi Recipes

Bilimbi Squash

Bilimbi Squash

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Kg of  Bilimbi
• Sugar as required
• Citric acid (or lime juice can be added instead of citric acid )
• 2 cups of water

Method:

1. Beat the bilimbi in a liquidizer after adding 1/4 cup water .
2. Strain the pulp through a sieve and keep the juice aside .
3. In another bowl boil the remaining water and the sugar along with citric acid .
4. Remove the matter that floats on the top of the syrup , using a spoon .
5. When the sugar is completely dissolved , remove from the fire and add the juice of the bilimbi to it .
6. Store in a clean sun-dried bottles when cool .
7. Mix it with three parts of water while consuming .

Pulinchi by using Bilimbi

Ingredient:

1. Bilimbi               1Kg
2. Jaggery              1/2 Kg
3. Oil                     1 tablespoon
4. Chopped Ginger-1tablespoon 
5. Red chilly powder-2tablespoon
6. 2 Red chillies
7. Mustard seeds      1tablespoon
8. Curry leaves
9. Water                 1/2 cup
10. Salt to taste

Method :

Thoroughly washed bilimbi is heated with jaggery and water . The cooked contents add into grinder and to make a juice. Then the juice is add into a bowl for boiling . Chilly powder , ginger and salt add to this . Stir it continuously until gravy become thick .And remove from the flame and keep it aside .
Heat oil in a pan and put into red chillies , mustard seeds , curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes .then add chopped ginger into it and fry for 5 minutes and mix into the bilimbi mixture .
Keep aside to cool and fill in glass jar .

Bilimbi Toffee:

Bilimbi Toffee

Ingredients:

1. Bilimbi pulp 1/2 kg
2. Sugar as required
3. Citric acid  4 tbsp
4. 100g of milk powder
5. 100g of glucose
6. 50g of ghee

Method:

• Make the milk powder into a thick paste with little warm water.
• Extract the pulp of the bilimbi after cooking it in a pressure cooker .
• Puree out through a sieve .
• Keep the puree on a fire and when the water content in it has reduced , add the sugar , citric acid and glucose to it .
• Keep stirring so that the mixture does not stick to the bottom of the vessel .
• When the above mixture becomes slightly thick , add the paste of milk powder and ghee to it .
• Continue to cool till the mixture leaves the sides of the vessel .
• Remove from the fire and transfer into pre-greased trays and allow to set .
• Cut into desired shapes or roll into balls and wrap into butter paper when cool .
• Yummy Toffee is now ready to serve.

Bilimbi Curry

Ingredients:

Bilimbi Curry

1. Bilimbi
2. Onion
3. Curry leaves
4. Green chilly
5. Turmeric powder
6. Coriander powder
7. Chilly powder
8. Oil
9. Coconut milk
10. Salt

Method:

           Heat the oil in a pan and fry the curry leaves and onion until the onion is soft and starts turning golden.
Add the chilies ,  turmeric , coriander and chilly powder and fry for one minutes , then add the bilimbi and fry for 5 minutes . Add coconut milk and salt . Simmer uncovered until the mixture is thick and oily .

Bilimbi Pickle 

Ingredients :

1. Bilimbi      -   50
2. Jaggery     -   1/2 Kg
3. Red chilly powder    -  2 tablespoon
4. Asafoetida      -   1 teaspoon 
5. Fenugreek seeds   - 1 teaspoon
6. Water        - 1/2 cup
7. Salt            - 2 teaspoon
8. Oil             - 1 tablespoon

Method :

• Cut the Bilimbi into 4 pieces . Mix jaggery with water and cook on low flame till all the jaggery dissolves in water .
• Add the bilimbi pieces to the jaggery mixture .
• In a pan heat the oil , season asafoetida , mustard seeds and fenugreek .
• Add bilimbi , jaggery mixture to the seasoning .
• Add chilly powder and salt .
• Cook on low heat till the mixture turns thick and syrupy .
• Serve with chapatti or rice .

Bilimbi Juice Recipe :

Ingredients :

Bilimbi Juice

1. Bililmbi           - 1/2 Kg
2. Sugar              - 1 1/2 Kg 
3. Water             - 2 cups
4. Orange           - 1 with skin sliced
5. Ginger             - Medium size piece chopped
6. Citric acid        -1 teaspoon ( or lime juice can be added instead of citric acid )
7. Green food color - One or two pinch (optional)

Method :

             Clean and wash the bilimbi . Cut it into medium pieces . Put bilimbi , orange and ginger in a grinder and grind it . Don't add water for grinding . Grind it well . Using the spoon take the pulp through a sieve . Place a pan on a stove and pour 2 cups of water and into that add sugar and melt it well . Stir it continuesly and make sugar syrup . When it reaches boiling point , remove from stove and add it into fruit pulp and mix well . After cooling add 1 teaspoon citric acid or lime juice and add a bit of green food color (adding is optional) and mix well . Transfer this mix into an air tight bottle and refrigerate it . Prepare the juice by adding required amount of water with fruit syrup .