Fruit: Papaya

 

Color of the "red" papaya in comparison to strawberries and watermelon

One of the most misunderstood fruits is the humble papaya. Those who are from non-tropical countries may be more familiar with papaya as an exotic salad garnish or an additive to a skin treatment concoction. In the tropics it is typically widely available as it is easy to grow and each tree produces numerous fruits. They are the kind of fruit that you see growing in random places in villages and yards as the seeds are easily disbursed and it is hearty enough to grow in all types of environments.

Like all fruits, there are a myriad of varieties grown though most people are familiar with the two most popular varieties which can be easily distinguished by their internal color; one is yellow and the other is red. The yellow-fleshed papaya have a stronger taste with a slightly bitter taste. The red-fleshed papaya tend to be sweeter lacking the bitterness of the yellow. Both varieties have the interesting feature that they are odorless when cut.

Regarding ripeness, this is where things get interesting. First, there are some culinary traditions (especially in SE Asia) that make use of unripe or green papaya so it is possible to eat them when they are unripe. Most of the time people enjoy them when they are slightly soft though others may enjoy them more when they are softer, nearly mushy. As they ripen the flavors become more pronounced and this is where things truly become controversial. Many people are disgusted by slightly overripe papaya reporting that it smells like vomit or they gag when they try to eat it. I theorize that this is similar to how cilantro is viewed by people with a certain genetic make up. I personally have this revulsion with yellow papayas and can only enjoy them when they are unripe or barely ripe. This does not extend to the red papayas as I find them absolutely delicious (see photo above). 

Many people recommend sprinkling lemon or lime on papaya which may add some zest to the flavor profile. I don't feel like it makes a huge difference but I do encourage people to explore the range of ripeness and variety  to find their personal preference. They tend to be very cheap and healthy so adding it to your diet is advantageous.