How to Cut and prepare a Papaya

I had a young visitor a couple of months ago who had never eaten a papaya so was quite intrigued by it and wanted to know what it tasted like.  When I started to prepare the papaya, she was so surprised to see the inside with all the tiny seeds etc. so  this has given me an idea of writing about how to prepare and cut a papaya ready to eat.  I had to remind myself that not everyone grows up taking papayas as an everyday meal.  Some people don’t like trying out new fruits as they have never tasted them.

A bit about Papayas:

Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C and help improve your skin and gives you a glowing complexion. For people suffering with constipation should eat a bowlful of papaya everyday as it’s high in fiber and water content.

Last year, I visited the botanic gardens where they had papayas growing in the huge green house.  Just look at the size of those papayas. They ones sold in UK supermarkets are a lot smaller.   The yellow one looks ready to eat in a fruit salad.  You can make curries and stir fry salads out of raw papaya (usually green in colour outside).  Ripe papayas (usually orangy in colour outside)  are great to eat on their own or in a fruit salad.  You can even mix it with other fruit to make jam.

So to chop a papaya you will need:

• a chopping board or tray
• Knife
• peeler
• spoon
• old newspaper
• a bowl to serve it in

Method:

1. Wash and dry the outside of the papaya.  The outside can often be sticky so may need extra washing.

2. Cut the papaya in half on a chopping board or tray and remove the seeds using a spoon. Some people cut it length wise and that is fine too.

3.  Once the seeds have been removed, cut the papaya into halves and peel the skin using a peeler or knife.  You may have to keep washing or wiping your hands in between if the papaya is too ripe and sticky.

4.   Wrap all the rubbish in a newspaper and discard it in the recycling bin.  Chop the papaya into slices or small cubes and serve them on their own with a dash of lemon or as fruit salad.  If your hands feel sticky after chopping the papaya, wash them with some salt added to your hand washing soap and they will feel fine.

Papayas taste great in a fruit salad too. Checkout my recipe for papaya Fruit salad – using the smaller papayas- here 

How many of you didn’t know what a papaya looks and tastes like?

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