Papaya Popular in Costa Rica

by Howler Staff

Costa Rica is famous for many things, including its beautiful beaches, exotic wildlife and delicious tropical fruits. One fruit which is particularly popular in this Central American country is the papaya. This sweet and succulent fruit is grown throughout the country and plays a vital role in Costa Rican cuisine and culture.

Papaya plants, also known by the scientific name Carica papaya, are native to the tropics of the Americas, and were first cultivated by indigenous peoples thousands of years ago. Today, Costa Rica is one of the world's largest producers of papayas, with the fruit being grown on farms and plantations across the country. The warm, humid climate of the country's coastal regions is ideal for growing papayas, which require plenty of sunlight and water to thrive.

The papaya plant is a small, fast-growing tree that can reach heights of up to 30 feet. Its leaves are large and deeply lobed, while its flowers are small and yellow or pink in color. The fruit itself is oval-shaped, with a green or yellow exterior and a sweet, orange flesh inside. The seeds of the papaya are also edible, and are often used to make a spicy condiment called aji de papaya.

Papayas are a key ingredient in many traditional Costa Rican dishes, including ceviche, ensalada rusa and casados. They are also a popular snack, and can be eaten fresh or dried, or made into jams and jellies.

The fruit is thought to have many superfood health benefits, including aiding digestion, boosting the immune system and reducing inflammation.

Despite the popularity of the papaya plant in Costa Rica, there have been challenges to its cultivation in recent years. In particular, the country has seen outbreaks of a disease called papaya ringspot virus, which can devastate papaya crops. However, farmers and scientists are working hard to find ways to combat this disease and keep the papaya industry thriving for many years to come.

Featured Recipes

Roasted Papaya

by Carolyn Moorehead

Ingredients

2 tablespoons light-brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 medium Solo papayas (14 ounces each), halved lengthwise and seeded

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Directions

Preheat oven and combine sugar and ginger: Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together sugar and ginger in a small bowl. Prepare papaya halves: Arrange papaya halves, cut sides up, in a 10-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over halves.

Bake papaya

Bake the papaya, brushing the edges with melted sugar mixture (it will collect in well of fruit) 2 or 3 times, until mixture is bubbling and papaya edges are beginning to darken, 35 to 40 minutes.

One of the things that still fascinates me about Costa Rica is seeing row upon row full of tuna cans on the shelves of every supermarket.