Sunday, 22 April 2012

In the spotlight - Papayas

Stuck for inspiration for a fruit to write about, a friend's mention of the word "paw paw" was all that was needed to get me going again.

  • A native of Mexico and Central America, ripe papayas are traditionally served with a wedge of lime and a pinch of salt.
  • When ripe they lend themselves well to fruit salads, sorbets, salsa and smoothies.
  • Unripe papayas can be used to tenderise meat and can be used in curries, stews, soups and stir-fries.
  • Their seeds have a hot peppery taste, which can be ground to give a kick to savoury dishes.
  • If you've never had a papaya before, don't be daunted by how to prepare one. Simply cut a ripe papaya in half, scoop out the seeds, then scoop out the flesh.
  • Papayas are rich in Vitamin C and Beta-carotene, but are best avoided if you have a latex allergy.

Spicy stuffed papayas

  • Brown a chopped onion in a pan.
  • Add a 400g can each of chopped tomatoes and lentils and 0.5tsp each of cumin, coriander and chilli. Stir well and simmer for a few mins.
  • Meanwhile halve and deseed 4 papayas, then fill the middle of each half with the spicy lentil mix.
  • Cook in a roasting tin or dish for approximately 30mins in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees C (gas mark 4).

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