Nam matum (bael fruit drink)

Nam matum is the infusion of the bael fruit, Aegle marmelos, known in Thai as matum, and it belongs to the old Thai tradition of herbal and fruit drinks served for refreshment and for the health of the body. The tree is native to the Indian subcontinent and has long been grown across Thailand, where the dried slices of the fruit are sold in markets and herbal shops. The drink is made in the household and sold by market vendors, and it is carried by cooks who keep the older repertoire of sweet drinks alive.

The drink is made from the pulp or the dried slices of the matum fruit, Aegle marmelos, a hard-shelled fruit whose flesh is sticky, fragrant and faintly bitter-sweet. The dried slices are simmered in water until the liquor turns a deep amber and takes on a smoky, tea-like perfume, and the liquor is then sweetened with sugar, traditionally palm sugar or white sugar syrup. It is served cold over ice, or warm, as a clear amber drink, with a little of the softened fruit sometimes left in the glass.

Nam matum is drunk between meals and alongside rich or spiced food, where its sweetness and light bitterness cleanse the palate and cool the mouth. It suits curries and fried dishes because the cold, sweet liquor counters chilli heat and oil. Its smoky perfume also pairs with Thai sweets, whose sugar it matches without cloying.