How to prepare a whole green papaya
Green papaya is the unripe form of the papaya fruit, harvested while the skin is still green and the flesh is firm, crisp, and white to pale green. Unlike ripe papaya, green papaya has a neutral flavour with a slightly fruity aroma and crunchy texture similar to a cucumber. It is commonly used as a vegetable in savoury dishes such as salads, curries, stir-fries, either cooked or raw, and easily absorbs the flavours of other ingredients when cooked or marinated.
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the papaya.
- With a peeler, remove all the outer green skin of the papaya to expose the pale green flesh. Discard the skin and wash off any sap on the papaya.
- Cut off approximately 1cm from the two ends of the papaya and discard.
- Cut the papaya in half lengthways.
- With a spoon, scoop out and discard of any seeds. You should now have two hollow halves of the papaya.
- Slice, cube, grate or julienne the papaya for your dish. If you don't have a julienne peeler, follow the two julienne methods below.
Julienne Knife Method 1:
- Cut the papaya into half again lengthways to create four quarters. Either hold the papaya in your hand or hold it flat-side down on a chopping board. Note: you may prefer to keep the papaya in two halves if it is easier to work with.
- With a sharp knife, lightly hack away at the papaya in the same area repeatedly to create lots of thin and shallow vertical cuts (aim for up to 5mm deep). Be very careful not to get your fingers!
- Slice through the face of the papaya perpendicular to where the vertical cuts have been made to remove and separate the julienned strips. Repeat these steps until the whole papaya has been julienned. As the papaya piece gets smaller, place the papaya on the chopping board (as opposed to holding it in your hand). You may need to cut any larger pieces into smaller pieces on the chopping board.
Julienne Knife Method 2:
- Place the halved papaya flat-side down on a chopping board. With a sharp knife, cut the papaya lengthways into strips, as thin and uniformed as possible.
- Stack a few of the slices at a time flat side down and slice vertically into thin matchstick sized pieces.
Soaking the papaya:
- If eating raw, soak the shredded, julienned or sliced green papaya in a bowl of lightly salted ice water for at least 10 minutes to improve texture and crunch and remove any excess bitterness and sap.
- After soaking, drain and squeeze out excess water before using. The papaya is now ready to be used!
Tips for storage
- If you don't plan on using the green papaya straight away, leave the papaya whole (unpeeled and uncut) and place it in the fridge - it will be good for one to two weeks.
- You can also leave the papaya out on a bench, preferably in a cool, dry area out of direct sunlight. Keep it away from other fruits that produce ethylene gas (like bananas and apples) that speed up the ripening process (unless you want it to ripen!). It should last for one to weeks but keep an eye out for any signs of ripening or spoilage such as a change in colour or soft spots.
- To store the papaya for a little longer in the fridge (around two weeks) while keeping it fresh, wrap the papaya in a paper towel and place it in a perforated plastic bag to allow for ventilation. Periodically check for any signs of spoilage.
- If you want to store already cut or peeled papaya, place the pieces in an air-tight container or plastic bag. The papaya should store for about a week.
- It is not recommended to freeze green papaya if you plan on eating it raw as the texture will not be as crunchy after thawing out.
Notes
- There are many ways to cut green papaya. For green papaya salad, the julienne method 1 (with a knife, not a julienne peeler) is the traditional Thai technique to create thin, rustic and slightly uneven strands that produce a distinctive firm and crunchy texture for authentic green papaya salad. This method takes more time to prepare, but it's worth it!