The papaya was one fruit that I never much cared for while growing up. After my wedding I realised that It was my husband’s favourite. So after watching him savour the sweet red papaya cubes frequently, it was but inevitable that I would end up tasting some each time. I don’t remember when I actually acquired a taste for this aromatic fruit but today I enjoy eating it whenever available.
The papaya was one fruit that I never much cared for while growing up. After my wedding I realised that It was my husband’s favourite. So after watching him savour the sweet red papaya cubes frequently, it was but inevitable that I would end up tasting some each time. I don’t remember when I actually acquired a taste for this aromatic fruit but today I enjoy eating it whenever available.
However it wasn’t until a few years ago that I considered cooking with the green papaya. After beginning to understand the mindset that involves eating local produce to stay healthy, I noticed that papaya trees are as much a part of our landscape as the mango. Yet we pay little attention to it’s availability or rich nutritional benefits. In Europe they have to pay a high price for one small papaya!
Not only do papaya trees thrive in Coimbatore, many a time they grow wild without having to plant a seed. It is healthy to include ingredients which grow without human intervention because then our diet will be attuned to that which occurs naturally. My garden constantly sees little papaya saplings sprouting and we allow them to grow stronger before re-planting. The papaya leaves too have been used extensively by us to make a juice which helps increase the platelet count in the blood.
The first time I used the green papaya was to make the famous Thai green papaya salad. It’s simple but bursting with flavours.It continues to be a salad that we make often and is always a winner. The green papaya shreds are crunchy and add a lot of freshness to the dish. It made me wonder how it would taste in a stir fry.
As I was chatting about this with food enthusiasts I was amazed when Sreedevi Lakshmikutty (co-founder of Bio basics) told me that a green papaya poriyal is one of her favourites and is quite popular in her home. It looks just like cabbage and has so many more nutritional benefits.
I didn’t need any more prodding to try out a green papaya poriyal because our tree at home was laden with green papayas.Again , the thrill of being able to walk to the garden, pluck an ingredient and cook with it is indescribable. It’s such a harmonious way to live with nature.
We made the papaya poriyal with a simple small onion and green chillies flavouring and the usual tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds and dried red chillies. It tasted great with the rasam rice. Any benchmark of a great poriyal for me is to see how it pairs with rice and rasam!
I really wondered why we had never tried this before.An ingredient in it’s green form is so different in taste and texture than when it is ripe. There are a few things one must remember while cooking with the green papaya. The milky sap that oozes when cutting the fruit open must be washed away thoroughly before cooking. Even for a salad ,it’s best to lightly steam the green papaya for a few minutes and letting it cool rather than eating it raw. I like to steam it and refrigerate it shortly after it cools.This way it retains the crunch and is lightly cooked.
Green papaya paste is also used a tenderiser for meat. The natural enzymes in the papaya break down the fibres in the meat and make it very tender while cooking. Green papaya contains a higher amount of potassium and papain. Papain is the enzyme which aids the digestion of protein. It’s also rich in antioxidants and known to fight inflammation.
Green papaya goes well with fresh ingredients like mint, lemon, mango, cucumber, ginger, green chillies, ripe red chillies, coriander leaves, roasted peanuts and lentils. All of these are foods are easily available and part of our native diet. Include the green papaya in your menu .It’s one of the easiest ingredients to cook with.
However it wasn’t until a few years ago that I considered cooking with the green papaya. After beginning to understand the mindset that involves eating local produce to stay healthy, I noticed that papaya trees are as much a part of our landscape as the mango. Yet we pay little attention to it’s availability or rich nutritional benefits. In Europe they have to pay a high price for one small papaya!
Not only do papaya trees thrive in Coimbatore, many a time they grow wild without having to plant a seed. It is healthy to include ingredients which grow without human intervention because then our diet will be attuned to that which occurs naturally. My garden constantly sees little papaya saplings sprouting and we allow them to grow stronger before re-planting. The papaya leaves too have been used extensively by us to make a juice which helps increase the platelet count in the blood.
The first time I used the green papaya was to make the famous Thai green papaya salad. It’s simple but bursting with flavours.It continues to be a salad that we make often and is always a winner. The green papaya shreds are crunchy and add a lot of freshness to the dish. It made me wonder how it would taste in a stir fry.
As I was chatting about this with food enthusiasts I was amazed when Sreedevi Lakshmikutty (co-founder of Bio basics) told me that a green papaya poriyal is one of her favourites and is quite popular in her home. It looks just like cabbage and has so many more nutritional benefits.
I didn’t need any more prodding to try out a green papaya poriyal because our tree at home was laden with green papayas.Again , the thrill of being able to walk to the garden, pluck an ingredient and cook with it is indescribable. It’s such a harmonious way to live with nature.
We made the papaya poriyal with a simple small onion and green chillies flavouring and the usual tempering of curry leaves, mustard seeds and dried red chillies. It tasted great with the rasam rice. Any benchmark of a great poriyal for me is to see how it pairs with rice and rasam!
I really wondered why we had never tried this before.An ingredient in it’s green form is so different in taste and texture than when it is ripe. There are a few things one must remember while cooking with the green papaya. The milky sap that oozes when cutting the fruit open must be washed away thoroughly before cooking. Even for a salad ,it’s best to lightly steam the green papaya for a few minutes and letting it cool rather than eating it raw. I like to steam it and refrigerate it shortly after it cools.This way it retains the crunch and is lightly cooked.
Green papaya paste is also used a tenderiser for meat. The natural enzymes in the papaya break down the fibres in the meat and make it very tender while cooking. Green papaya contains a higher amount of potassium and papain. Papain is the enzyme which aids the digestion of protein. It’s also rich in antioxidants and known to fight inflammation.
Green papaya goes well with fresh ingredients like mint, lemon, mango, cucumber, ginger, green chillies, ripe red chillies, coriander leaves, roasted peanuts and lentils. All of these are foods are easily available and part of our native diet. Include the green papaya in your menu .It’s one of the easiest ingredients to cook with.