Papaya is a tropical tree grown in every household in Goa, either in their front or back yards. Though the ripe fruit is usually eaten raw, the unripe green fruit often used in savoury dishes like curries, stews, pickles and added raw to salads. This is a quick and easy dish commonly prepared in Goa. The unripe fruit is cooked with dry prawns that have their own distinctive flavour complementing the mild papaya. A simple dish with no spices and garnished with grated coconut. Delicious, served as a side with the main meal or can be eaten with chapatis.
When selecting a raw papaya, it has to be firm with a green peel and pale yellow-green flesh. Ripe fruit has a reddish orange skin, tender when touched. The centre core is filled with seeds, white in an unripe fruit, turning black when the fruit matures. Avoid papayas with blemishes or overly soft. The fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme papain, present at a higher concentration in green papaya. It breaks down the bonds in protein and used as a meat tenderizer. Papaya is known as the "power fruit" with many medicinal properties, beneficial for many ailments, diseases with its leaves known to be used for fighting dengue fever.
When selecting a raw papaya, it has to be firm with a green peel and pale yellow-green flesh. Ripe fruit has a reddish orange skin, tender when touched. The centre core is filled with seeds, white in an unripe fruit, turning black when the fruit matures. Avoid papayas with blemishes or overly soft. The fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme papain, present at a higher concentration in green papaya. It breaks down the bonds in protein and used as a meat tenderizer. Papaya is known as the "power fruit" with many medicinal properties, beneficial for many ailments, diseases with its leaves known to be used for fighting dengue fever.
Savoury Papaya With Dry Prawns
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 unripe or semi-ripe papaya, about 1/2 kg
1 onion (chopped)
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 small tomato (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup dry salted prawns
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
Clean prawns by pinching the tips at both ends. Soak in some water for few minutes.
Cut papaya into half, scoop/discard the seeds, peel off the green skin and cut into cubes. Wash in a colander and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion until soft. Add the green chillies, tomato, turmeric powder and drained prawns. When tomato is pulpy, stir in the papaya, water and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until papaya is done.
Garnish with grated coconut and serve.
Note:
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1/2 unripe or semi-ripe papaya, about 1/2 kg
1 onion (chopped)
2 green chillies (chopped)
1 small tomato (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 cup dry salted prawns
1/4 cup fresh grated coconut
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
salt
Method:
Clean prawns by pinching the tips at both ends. Soak in some water for few minutes.
Cut papaya into half, scoop/discard the seeds, peel off the green skin and cut into cubes. Wash in a colander and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion until soft. Add the green chillies, tomato, turmeric powder and drained prawns. When tomato is pulpy, stir in the papaya, water and salt. Cover and cook on medium heat until papaya is done.
Garnish with grated coconut and serve.
Note:
- Half of the above papaya in the picture used for this dish.
