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Today you can eat papaya not only in tropical countries. Originating from Central America and South Asia, the culture has taken root well in Mexico, Africa, India, the USA, and Hawaii. For Thailand, papaya is a traditional product, grown purposefully and included in most national dishes. In Russia, the fruit is not yet so popular, therefore, not everyone knows how to properly cut and eat the exotic fruit.
What does papaya look like?
The plant resembles a coconut palm in appearance, but, strictly speaking, is not a tree. Young papaya develops surprisingly quickly, the hollow trunk can reach 10 m, although its typical size is about 5 m. The top is crowned with a dense rosette of large leaves growing up to 70 cm in length. The fruits are concentrated in the crown and appear from the axils of the leaves near the trunk, which completes the similarity of the plant with a palm tree.
Papaya begins to bear fruit within 6 months after germination, for which it is often called the tree of the impatient gardener.In the Thai climate, which is the most favorable for the crop, it is eaten all year round, since the formation of buds occurs constantly, and ripening is not tied to the seasons.
The appearance of large varieties of papaya justifies its other name - “melon tree”. The oval fruits are reminiscent of sweet melons in color and shape. Even their taste is considered similar by many. Thus, Asian or Caribbean varieties usually weigh more than 3 kg, and there are especially large specimens up to 7 kg. Small varieties, most often Hawaiian, are pear-shaped.
When ripe, the green peel acquires a uniform orange or yellow color. Most Thai varieties are small in size and have fruits ranging in color from yellow to amber. Ripe pulp is juicy, elastic, deep orange, sometimes with a pink tint. In the center of the papaya, as can be seen in the cross-sectional photo of the fruit, there are concentrated black, round seeds entwined with dense fibers, which makes it even more similar to a melon.
What does papaya taste like?
The taste of papaya is not very familiar to Russian consumers. Many people prefer to eat it only as part of restaurant dishes. The ripe pulp is compared to boiled carrots, ripe melon, and the aroma reminds many of raspberries or peaches. Shades of taste depend on the variety, country of origin and degree of ripeness. The average characteristics of a high-quality fruit include juiciness, sweetness, and a refreshing taste without any signs of bitterness.
Unripe papaya can be eaten as a vegetable; it does not have a distinct fruity taste. Green fruits are often bitter. Representatives of peoples who have been cultivating the crop for centuries can eat bitter specimens without consequences. Overripe fruit loses its sweetness and elasticity. It is not recommended to eat such pulp.
The ability of the crop to ripen after harvest helps to ship it around the world. However, the taste of such fruits does not reach the sweetness and aroma of those ripened on the tree. Therefore, a complete picture of a quality fruit can only be obtained if you buy and eat papaya in the countries where it grows.
How to choose a ripe papaya fruit
Since the degree of ripeness directly affects the taste, it is very important to choose the right papaya. Before evaluating fruits for ripeness, be sure to inspect the surface for the presence of dents, cuts, cracks, and dry areas of the peel. Any damage to the integrity indicates that eating such fruits is harmful and sometimes dangerous to health.
Criteria for ripeness and freshness of papaya:
- The color is even, without dark spots, burgundy stains are acceptable. The amount of green tint on the peel of yellow varieties should not exceed 1/5. This papaya has a better chance of ripening at home.
- The smell is distinct, more pronounced at the stalk. May resemble raspberries, peach, melon. A sickly sweet aroma may indicate that the papaya is overripe and should not be eaten.
- The flesh is elastic and springs when pressed. Hard, “stony” surface in immature specimens. A soft fruit on which marks remain after pressing is overripe.
Papaya with the following signs of chemical treatment during cultivation or transportation should not be eaten:
- sticky peel;
- lack of odor with bright colors;
- clearly visible veins on the surface.
The ripeness of green papaya varieties can be determined using the same criteria, excluding color. Freshness and safety are assessed similarly.
How to peel papaya
The peel of the fruit is not eaten, but the fruits must be thoroughly washed before processing. It is important to remove from the surface not only dust and microbes, but also traces of chemicals used when transporting any tropical fruit. To do this, pour boiling water over the papaya and wipe it dry, or wash it with a soft brush under running hot water.
Ripe peel is thin and tender. You can easily peel papaya before eating with a sharp knife or potato peeler. But for convenience, the fruit is first cut lengthwise and in half. The seeds are removed and then the skin is removed. Otherwise, you may lose some of the juice or crush the tender pulp.
How to cut papaya
The seeds and fibers are removed from the center of the fruit, cut in half, as from a melon. To do this, you can use a regular spoon. Next, the pulp is cut in several ways:
- in long slices together with the peel, to eat like melons;
- the peeled halves are cut into cubes and poured into a salad or fruit bowl;
- Perpendicular cuts are made, capturing only the pulp, leaving the peel intact, after which the fruit can be “turned out” for spectacular serving.
The easiest way to eat raw papaya, cut into cubes, is to use a fork or chopsticks. But the pulp of a ripe fruit is so pliable that you can simply use a spoon after cutting the fruit in half.
How to eat papaya
Acquaintance with exotic fruit should begin gradually. For the first time, you should eat raw papaya in small portions, monitoring the body’s possible reactions to unfamiliar food. Ripe fruits contain latex juice, which sometimes causes allergies.
How can you eat papaya raw?
High-quality, ripe fruits are not only tasty, but also healthy. Microelements, vitamins, and valuable organic compounds in the composition are better preserved if you eat papaya fresh, without heat treatment.
The fruits are very nutritious and can be eaten separately or as part of complex dishes. Their use is universal: they can complement the taste of vegetable salads or fruit mixes.
In salty dishes, raw papaya goes well with cheese, tomatoes, and game. Such salads or side dishes can be eaten with any suitable sauce, including fish and garlic. Mexican papaya varieties are traditionally used to make smoothies.
In sweet desserts, fruits can be combined with tropical or local fruits and berries. Any creams or syrups are suitable for the delicate taste of papaya.
It is easy to prepare fruit sorbet from the ripe, sweet pulp. Just beat the papaya with water and sugar with a little lemon juice. The mass should be frozen in any convenient form and eaten like ice cream. The delicate taste of the dessert can be complemented with any berries or combined with fruits at will. This sorbet is especially pleasant to eat in hot weather.
Using a blender, you can prepare a fragrant mixture from milk, papaya pulp, sugar, and vanilla. The drink is cooled and served as a cocktail. If desired, thicken the mixture and then freeze it to eat as sorbet.
Can you eat papaya seeds?
The dark, round grains removed from the fruit during peeling are usually discarded.But in the homeland of tropical fruits, seeds also have their uses. The grains, similar to black peppercorns, taste reminiscent of this hot spice. Ground seeds are used to season sauces, first and second courses.
In Japan and China, grains are used to cleanse the body of toxins, as an antidote and for liver diseases. Doctors from Nigeria have documented the anti-parasitic effect of taking the seeds.
The grains can be eaten whole, chewed or ground into powder. For humans, this pepper substitute is non-toxic, but requires gradual adaptation. To check the tolerability of the product, simply chew and swallow one papaya grain. If there are no unexpected reactions, you can continue taking it, but during the first week you should eat no more than 2 seeds per day.
How to cook papaya
Papaya is not only eaten raw. There are many options for using valuable pulp in different cultures and cuisines of the world:
- Unripe fruits can be cooked like potatoes. Pieces of pulp boiled in a small amount of water can be eaten, seasoned with salt, pepper, and vegetable (preferably olive) oil.
- Green specimens in Thailand and Vietnam are stewed and eaten as a vegetable. In meat stews, papaya can replace zucchini or pumpkin.
- The baked vegetable can be eaten without additional seasonings. It smells like fresh baked goods, which is why the plant is called “breadfruit”. When making buns from pulp, the dessert taste is supplemented with nuts, spices, and dried fruits.
- The fruits contain a large amount of pectin, which makes it possible to gel various desserts. The pulp produces original jams and marmalade.
- With a sauce made from the pulp and seasoned with ground seeds, you can eat any meat dish. Often, ginger root and chili pepper are added to the recipe for spiciness.
In some countries, papaya is specially harvested at “vegetable” ripeness for preparing main dishes. Fruits ripened on the tree acquire aroma and sweetness; they are preferred to be eaten as dessert.
What to do if you cut a papaya and it is not ripe
Transportation of the fruit around the world is possible due to its ability to ripen after being picked from the plant. If the purchased specimen turns out to be green, you can leave it for several days in a warm place to ripen. In the refrigerator and at low temperatures, fruits will not ripen.
You can speed up the process by placing fruit next to bananas. It is not recommended to keep papaya in polyethylene, so for ripening the fruit is placed in food containers or paper bags. The ethylene gas released by the banana will speed up the process, and the ripened fruits can be eaten within a day.
If it was not possible to ripen the papaya or the fruit is already cut, then its pulp can be boiled or stewed. Unripe specimens contain an alkaloid that is aggressive for an unprepared stomach, and they should not be eaten raw.
Why is papaya bitter?
Until ripening, the pulp of the fruit is permeated with tubular vessels carrying bitter juice. This milky liquid contains papain alkaloids that can cause stomach upset.During the ripening process, the pulp acquires sugar, and the vessels become thinner and become indistinguishable. Ripe papaya contains the substance in minimal quantities.
The chemical activity of bitterness has made it possible since ancient times to use the plant to soften tough animal fibers. Meat rubbed with papaya pulp becomes soft and stays fresh longer. Today, a concentrated extract from the fruit is produced industrially for use in cooking.
It’s not just unripe fruit that can taste bitter. Some Mexican papaya varieties have a slight bitterness even after full ripening. These fruits are large in size and have red flesh. They can be eaten raw, despite the spicy taste.
How to store papaya at home
Traditionally, purchased fruits are immediately placed in the refrigerator. But for papaya there are some special storage rules:
- Papaya is placed in the refrigerator only as a last resort, for example, to preserve the chopped pulp. After 3 days the taste begins to weaken.
- Whole fruits quickly deteriorate in plastic bags. It is better to use cling film to wrap the papaya tightly.
- In an ordinary apartment, they try to find a shaded, cool place for fruit. Direct sunlight causes fruit to rot.
- Try not to stack fruits in layers, otherwise the delicate pulp will easily get crushed and spoil.
How long does papaya last?
The plant is especially sensitive to temperature changes. Moving from room to refrigerator and back can spoil the product within a few hours.It is correct to eat papaya chilled, but it is better to take the fruit to the table in portions, without subjecting the stored fruit to noticeable fluctuations.
Optimal conditions for long-term storage of fruits:
- temperature not higher than + 10 °C;
- humidity ranging from 85 to 90%;
- no contact with other fruits or foods.
If you can create such a regime, ripening papaya will last longer than 10 days. Ripe fruits should be eaten within 7 days. Temperature changes affect the shelf life of tropical fruits:
- Above + 20 °C – no longer than 3 days.
- About + 5 °C – about 7 days;
- At constant + 10 °C – 14 days.
Papaya pulp does not tolerate freezing well. With such storage, not only the taste, but also the consistency of the fruit deteriorates.
Conclusion
You can eat papaya at any age, without health restrictions. The only caution concerns the pregnancy period and is associated with the unusualness of the plant for Russian latitudes. Otherwise, the product is very useful and interesting, and its versatility allows you to try papaya in salty, sweet dishes, drinks and find your own way of consuming this unusual fruit.
