Papaya

About this crop

Papaya is a striking, melon-like fruit that grows directly from the trunk of a fast-growing, herbaceous tree. When unripe, its skin is emerald green and its flesh is crisp, white, and entirely savory. As it ripens, the skin turns golden-yellow and the flesh transforms into a soft, butter-smooth, vibrant orange-pink, encasing a cavity filled with peppery, edible black seeds.

Traditional uses

In Cape Verdean, Brazilian, and Caribbean traditions, the ripe papaya is a daily blessing. It is eaten fresh for breakfast, blended into thick, sweet batidas (smoothies), or cooked down with sugar and spices into rich, jam-like desserts (dulce de lechosa).

In Southeast Asian traditions, particularly in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, the papaya is revered in its unripe, green state. Green papaya is shredded into crisp, pale ribbons and pounded in a mortar with chilies, lime, fish sauce, and tomatoes to create som tum, a fiery, sour, and savory salad that is a cornerstone of the cuisine.

This sunrise fruit connects the Cape Verdean breakfast tables of Fox Point with the Cambodian kitchens of Elmwood. Whether it is blended into a sweet, soothing Dominican smoothie or pounded into a fiery, crisp Southeast Asian salad, the papaya offers two entirely different culinary experiences from a single, remarkable plant.

How to prepare

To eat a ripe papaya, simply slice it in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the black seeds. You can then scoop the soft, orange flesh directly from the skin with a spoon, or peel the skin and chop the flesh into cubes. A squeeze of fresh lime juice over ripe papaya perfectly balances its musky sweetness.

To prepare green papaya for a savory salad, the fruit must be rock-hard. Peel the green skin with a vegetable peeler. Cut the fruit in half and scrape out the white, immature seeds. Use a julienne peeler or a sharp knife to shred the firm, white flesh into long, thin strands.

For a classic Southeast Asian green papaya salad, place garlic and bird's eye chilies in a large mortar and pound them lightly. Add the shredded green papaya, cherry tomatoes, green beans, lime juice, fish sauce, and a pinch of palm sugar. Bruise the mixture gently with the pestle while tossing it with a spoon, allowing the savory, sour dressing to penetrate the crisp papaya strands.