How to Enjoy Papaya
Papaya, a pear-shaped fruit with sweet, soft, dark-orange flesh and small black seeds, is often viewed as exotic. While many people don't know how to choose a ripe papaya, others wonder how to use it. But you can add this succulent fruit to your favorite recipes, make an appetizer or simply slice and eat it.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Choose a ripe papaya by looking for soft, firm fruit with orange skin. A papaya with yellow patches will be perfectly ripe in a few days. Avoid papayas that are too soft or bruised, although a few black spots won't affect the taste. Store a yellow or green papaya on your counter top until it ripens, or speed the process by placing it in a paper bag.
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2
Cut your papaya in half and scrape out the black seeds in the center. The seeds can be discarded, eaten or saved for salad dressings; they have a peppery flavor.
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3
Use a paring knife to peel the skin from your papaya.
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4
Chop, slice or scoop the fruit out with a melon baller. Eat it as is or spritz with lime juice.
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5
Cut your papaya into chunks and add it to your fruit salad, or halve a papaya lengthwise, remove the seeds and fill the center space with a chopped fruit mixture. Include Mandarin oranges, bananas, kiwi and berries. Adding honey and yogurt sweetens the salad.
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6
Make healthy papaya popsicles by cutting the fruit into spears, inserting bamboo skewers, then freezing.
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7
Sweeten your favorite chicken, shrimp or tuna salad recipe with chopped papaya.
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8
Slice and grill your papaya on the barbecue. Cook until grill marks form, then flip and cook the other side.
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9
Dice papaya and other fruits such as strawberries, peaches and bananas. Place the fruit in a blender with vanilla yogurt and ice. Blend to your desired consistency for a delicious smoothie.
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10
Chop papaya, cilantro, ginger and jalapeno peppers to make a sweet, hot salsa. Enjoy with chips or serve with seafood.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Add papaya last to a fruit salad; it will soften other fruit.
Pulse seeds in a blender before adding to a creamy salad dressing.
Use caution when cutting your papaya.
People with latex allergies may also be allergic to papaya. Purchasing organic fruit and cooking papaya will reduce allergens.
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References
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