Nagalakshmi, aka Nags, is the cook, writer, and photographer behind…
Aside from the fact that Papaya tastes great, it has health benefits reaching from the cardiovascular system to the digestive system.
Text And Photo By Nagalakshmi Viswanathan
I don’t know how easy it is to get raw papayas where you live but I would say that its worth the trouble even if you need to go an extra mile to get it. Eating raw papaya in any form with a meal aids digestion and prevents bloating. I know, not very flattering conditions to talk about but if this humble little fruit here wants to help, why not let it?
In tropical Kerala, I grew up eating this fruit in all forms. The limited space in the backyard never prevented my mom from growing papaya trees that are so slender that they take up hardly any space. They would grow lean and average height and start producing these heavy fruits that can be picked starting from then they are raw or left to ripen fully. Although ripe papayas are not everyone’s favorite, I would never forget the joy with which my dad can polish off an entire bowl full of them.
I am tempted to believe that’s why he is this healthy even at 70.
PrintStir-Fried Raw Papaya
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.2 from 5 reviews
- Author: Nags
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
A light stir-fry with raw papaya, a tropical favourite.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized raw papaya
- A generous pinch of turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp (coconut) oil
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 6 shallots, crushed
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 dry red chillies, broken into halves
- A few curry leaves
Instructions
- Peel the papaya and cut into thin pieces. Boil in sufficient water along with turmeric and salt until the pieces are soft. Ideally, add about 1 cup water and add more if needed. This is better than having to drain excess water.
- Heat the oil in a pan and add all ingredients listed below oil. When the mustard seeds begin to pop and the shallots and garlic give out a nice flavour, add the cooked papaya. Stir-fry for another 5-6 mins and remove from fire.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
Enjoy warm with steamed white rice and any curry of your choice.
Nagalakshmi, aka Nags, is the cook, writer, and photographer behind Edible Garden. She loves most things edible, loves traveling to places just for the food, and hardly ever leaves home without her camera. Her specialties are Indian food, making baking look easier than it actually is, and finding new and unique ways to use her Kitchenaid. She lives in Singapore with her husband and a small herb garden in her balcony.
I find this intriguing, but where does the papaya enter the recipe? And I don’t see any “mixed vegetables” in the picture.
Raw papaya is the main ingredient in the above recipe. There are no mixed vegetables used anywhere though.
That’s kind of my point. The recipe calls for 1/2c mixed vegetables, and does not mention papaya at all. I don’t think the recipe matches the picture, as it doesn’t seem to be a stir-fry.
The recipe tastes if a raw coconut slices are added …… after all this one is one among the best in my cooking list
Dave, sorry for the mess up. The details have been updated and should be accurate now. Thanks for pointing it out to me!
can you fry papaya chips just like potatoe chip but instead using papaya thank-you
No. Too much water in papaya for it to become a chip like potato.
Dear
i love taking papaya(RAW)not riped ones.u r recipe is too nice liked u r papaya
Your CommentAm liking it thankyou
How safe is it to eat just boiled papaya? what are the benefits and side effects?
Sounds fantastic. Do you mind if I ask – do you use the smaller sweeter Hawaiian papayas or the larger Mexican papayas?
Hey, will this work with ripe papaya?
It tastes good . everybody liked it.
Can I use green papaya
Great recipe, easy to follow. My papayas however turned a little bitter at the end. Not to the point that I couldn’t eat them. But would have been Better without. Any ideas what went wrong?
Thank you for posting this delightful recipe. The difficulty level is easy, which works for me.
Never tried something like this before, turned out delicious!
I have never cooked with papaya before, but this is fantastic. Definitely making again!