Ah... so that's what Balu was talking about in the Bare Necessities of Life!
Other Names: Pawpaw
Family: Caricaceae Edible Portion: Fruit, young leaves, seeds The green papaya is a staple part of any tropical diet, and remains one of the more inspiring Food Forest ingredients used in the kitchen. Having a long standing history in Thai cuisine, it offers a unique twist to your dinner table. Native Origin: Papaya have been widely grown across the world, and occur naturally in Central and South America. The Papaya is cultivated largely in the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Florida. General Description: Papaya is well known as a highly productive, short lived perennial mainly used for the ripe fruit. However, the Green Papaya, or the unripe fruits of the tree, are an excellent vegetable. Papayas can reach over 25 feet tall, and can live to be 5-8 years old. The tree will produce heavily over its life span, growing fruits as heavy as 3 pounds. The broad leaves protrude from the trunk on long hollow stems and the fruit hang directly off the woody tissue toward the top of the tree. Season of Harvest: In the Tropics, the Papaya can be cultivated year-round. So expand your culinary horizons and try some green papaya dishes! Harvesting Techniques: To harvest a green Papaya to be used as a vegetable, depending on the size of the tree you select from, you will need a stool or ladder. Pick a sizeable fruit that retains the green skin. You may also harvest ones that are beginning to show a yellow color. Pull at an angle downwards to gently pluck the fruit from its stem. Immediately hold the fruit upside down to allow the sap to drain, or wrap the fruit in toweling. The sap contains an enzyme that can be harmful to some people when it comes in to contact with skin. Preparation: The green Papaya must be drained of its sap before usage. To do this, cut the very top off of the fruit horizontally so that it is an even surface. Put this face down in your sink and let sit for 10 minutes. When the fruit has been drained, you can peel away the green skin using a potato peeler or a good chef knife. Cut down the center of the fruit vertically, and then extract the seeds using a spoon. From this point, you can chop the two halves into chunks, toss them in lime juice, oil, and your favorite seasoning, and bake or broil until tender. The most common method is to julienne the fruit into noodles using a mandolin. Combine with lime juice, Chile sauce, freshly diced onion, garlic chives, and mango for a spicy green papaya salad. Nutritional Content: The green papaya -when consumed raw- contains an abundance of nutrients, and so does the cooked version. It is rich in vitamins A and C, very high in dietary fiber and necessary phytochemicals such as lycopene. Green papaya has also been found to have antifungal properties. Special Information: Unripe fruit and leaves are the source of papain used as a meat tenderizer, to clarify beer, in the processing of natural silk, and to give shrink resistance to wool. Unripe fruit as well as seeds can induce abortion. Dried seeds can be ground as a pepper substitute. |
Additional information can be found at any of these helpful links:
http://www.tropicalfloridagardens.com/2011/06/27/growing-caring-for-papaya-trees/ http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/cari_pap.cfm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTRfybaxu-A Green Papaya SalsaIngredients:
1 medium Green Papaya, peeled and diced 1 medium red bell pepper, diced 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed 2 green onions, sliced 3 TBSP chopped cilantro 1/4 cup orange juice 1/4 cup olive oil Salt and Pepper to taste 1 diced jalepeno or 3 TBSP hot sauce (optional) Directions: 1. Whisk together orange juice, olive oil, cilantro, and hot sauce if used. 2. Toss all remaining ingredients in a large bowl. 3. Top with dressing and mix well. 4. Serve with chips, or as a topping for grilled fish, chicken, or other protein. |