Description
A vibrant tropical stir-fry with a delightful kick.
Serve with steamed rice for a light and flavorful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium-sized raw papaya
- A generous pinch of turmeric powder
- Salt
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (or regular cooking oil)
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/4 tsp black sesame seeds (plus extra for garnish)
- 6 crushed shallots
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 dry red chilies, broken into halves
- A few curry leaves
Instructions
Prepare the Papaya
- Peel the papaya and cut it into thin, even pieces. Place the papaya pieces in a pot with 1 cup of water, turmeric powder, and a pinch of salt.
Boil the Papaya
- Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Simmer until the papaya is tender but not mushy, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed to prevent sticking.
Prepare the Aromatics
- Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add black sesame seeds, crushed shallots, minced garlic, broken dry red chilies, and curry leaves. Stir for 1–2 minutes until the shallots are golden and fragrant.
Stir-Fry the Papaya
- Add the cooked papaya to the pan and mix well. Stir-fry for 5–6 minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and the papaya edges to caramelize slightly.
Serve
- Remove from heat and garnish with black sesame seeds. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
- For a less spicy dish, reduce the number of red chilies or omit them entirely.
- If raw papaya is unavailable, you can substitute firm, ripe mango for a similar texture.
- To maintain papaya’s vibrant color, avoid overcooking; aim for tender-crisp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 5
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 0g