How to Pick & Eat Papayas

Payapas can be used to make juice.

Payapa, believed to be native to the Caribbean, grows in warm, tropical climates. Often considered a tree, Purdue University says that the papaya plant is an herb that can grow up to 30 feet tall. Papaya fruit resembles a melon, contains black seeds and has deep orange flesh. Although once considered a rare exotic fruit, today you can buy papayas at health food and grocery stores year-round.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Spoon or ice cream scoop

Instructions

1. Grasp and press the papaya gently and examine the papaya's color. Soft papayas with combination green and yellow skin are ready to eat. Hard papayas with green skin must sit and ripen for a few more days.

2. Slice open the ripe papaya lengthwise. Scoop out the black seeds with a large spoon or ice cream scoop. After you remove the seeds, you can either use a knife to peel and cut the papaya into cubes, or your scoop the papaya flesh into a bowl with a spoon.

3. Serve the sweet papaya plain or add citrus flavor with a twist of lemon or lime juice. You can sprinkle sugar on the papaya to tone down the tartness of the lime. You can also add the papaya to a tropical fruit salad featuring pineapples, bananas and mangoes.

References

• Purdue University Agriculture: Papaya
• "Singapore Food"; Papaya Agar-Agar; Wendy Hutton; 2007