Perfect papaya

Fat free and low in kilojoules, this sweet fruit has more than twice the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C

Did you know that there are two types of papaya?

Red and yellow. Well, now you do. One isn’t just a little bit more ripe than the other. And how do you tell which is which? Well, it’s simple. Red papaya is the sweet, pear shaped one, with orange-red flesh and a yellow-orange coloured skin, whereas the yellow variety is a bit bigger and rounder, with yellow flesh and pale orange skin. And right now in May (and then again in September and October) is their peak season.

And how to tell when they’re ripe? They’re a bit like avocados or pears, they’ll yield to pressure around the stem. And remember, you’ll have to be extremely careful with them to avoid bruising. Store them in the fridge if you aren’t going to eat immediately.

“Red papaya and yellow papaya are perfect ingredients in a variety of recipes,” MasterChef Series

Two contestant, Alvin Quah says. “Their sweet tropical flesh works beautifully in desserts and cakes, but they’re equally lovely in savoury dishes. They add colour and flavour to fresh salads and, due to an enzyme they contain, they can be used to tenderise meats such as chicken and pork”.

Fat free and low in kilojoules, papayas contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Just 150g provides more than twice the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C, as well as vitamin A, calcium, iron, carbohydrates and a wealth of protective antioxidant carotenoids. Now that’s a whole lot of goodness!

Lemongrass chicken with papaya and cucumber salad

Serves 4

Prep: 15 mins

Cooking: 10 mins

Ingredients

4 (about 150g each) chicken breast fillets

1 stem lemongrass, pale section only, finely chopped

2 tsps peanut oil

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tsps fish sauce

2 tsps brown or palm sugar

½ tsp sesame oil

1/2 papaya, deseeded, peeled, very thinly sliced

2 Lebanese cucumbers, end trimmed, thinly sliced lengthways into ribbons

½ cup round mint leaves

½ cup Thai basil leaves

1/3 cup toasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Steamed Jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the chicken and lemon grass in a large bowl.

Drizzle with oil and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 2 mins each side or until golden. Transfer to an oven tray and bake for 8 mins or until just cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 mins to rest.

3. Meanwhile, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl. Place the papaya, cucumber, mint and basil in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to combine. Divide evenly among serving plates.

4. Thickly slice chicken and place on serving plates. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve immediately, with steamed rice, if desired.

Tips: For a summery change, use salmon fillets or tuna steaks instead of the chicken. Cook salmon or tuna on a chargrill, 2-3 minutes each side for salmon; 1 minute each side for tuna.

Papaya, fennel and asparagus salad with hot smoked salmon

Serves 4

Prep: 15 mins

Cooking: 5 mins

Ingredients

2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, diagonally sliced into 5cm lengths

2 baby fennel, ends trimmed, fronds reserved

½ papaya, deseeded, peeled, thinly sliced

100g baby rocket leaves

2 x 125g portions hot smoked salmon, coarsely flaked

1 lemon, zested, juiced

¼ cup (60ml) olive oil

2 tsps Dijon mustard

2 tbsps finely chopped chives

Method

1. Cook asparagus in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 2 mins or until bright green and tender crisp. Refresh under cold running water. Drain well. Place in a large bowl.

2. Use a vegetable peeler or mandolin to thinly slice fennel lengthways. Add to asparagus with papaya, rocket, salmon and lemon zest.

3. Combine lemon juice, oil, mustard and chives in a screwtop jar and shake until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over papaya mixture and gently toss to combine. Divide among serving plates and sprinkle with reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately.

Tip: The hot smoked salmon can easily be replaced with barbecued fresh salmon or chicken breast fillets.

Papaya and banana bread with honeycomb butter

Serves 6-8

Prep: 15 mins

Cooking: 1 hr

Ingredients

2 cups (300g) self-raising flour

1 cup (200g) brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

½ cup (125ml) mashed papaya

½ cup (125ml) mashed banana

2 eggs, lightly whisked

150g butter, melted, cooled

½ cup (70g) toasted macadamias, coarsely chopped

½ cup finely chopped papaya

Honeycomb butter: 100g butter, softened

30g honeycomb, coarsely chopped

Method and dollop with honeycomb butter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 8 x 24cm (base measurement) loaf pan.

2. Combine the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl.

3. Combine mashed papaya, banana and eggs in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture with the melted butter, macadamias and extra papaya and gently stir until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Place on an oven tray and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

10 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, to make honeycomb butter, use an electric mixer to beat butter until pale. Add honeycomb and stir to combine.

Recipes courtesy of: Sarah Hobbs www.australianpapaya.com.au

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