How To Eat Papaya
There is a fruit that has been called “fruit of the angels”, which doesn't mean anything if you don't know how to eat papaya. It was coined thus by Christopher Columbus when he inadvertently discovered the United States on his way to a trade route between the Indies and Iberia.
The papaya is a natural wonder, because it helps prevent eye disorders, lung disease, arthritis and heart disease. It also improves the performance of the digestive tract. Papaya is filled with antioxidants, minerals and vitamins that can help you more easily fight the flu and colds, and you can find them in different sizes and shapes. Papayas from Hawaii are pear-shaped and smaller than their cousins the Asian and Caribbean papayas, which are larger and longer. They both have a delectable taste, but you can't enjoy it unless you properly learn how to eat papaya.
To select a ripe and tasty papaya, look for skin that is turning to yellow from green. Your thumb should be able to press lightly into the fruit's flesh. Don't buy papayas that have an overly sweet smell or are too mushy or soft – those are over-ripe. Make sure the skin is not torn or cracked, but smooth.
How to eat papaya: First, rinse your papaya, to remove dirt or dust, using cool water. You don't need to wash it thoroughly, since you will be discarding the peel.
Set your papaya on a cutting board. Use a sharp, large knife to cut the papaya lengthwise, in half. This should be easily done if your papaya is ripe.
Next, open the papaya up and divide it into two sections. Use a big spoon to scrape the seeds out. This is most easily accomplished by scraping downward while holding your papaya over a trash can. Or you can put the seeds in a bowl, if you want to use them. Don't push in too deeply, or you run the risk of losing some of the fruit. Papaya seeds can be saved for use in salad dressings – they have a peppery flavor.
Now that you have the seeds out, you can either dig the fruit out with a spoon and eat it, or you can use an ice cream scoop or a melon ball scoop to make papaya balls.
If you want to make papaya cubes or wedges, you'll have to peel your papaya. Hold the fruit vertically, and slice down the skin with your knife, in long slices. You can use a vegetable peeler instead, if you want to make sure you don't lose any of the delicious fruit.
Next, you will turn the papaya over and slice into whatever size wedges you want, and discard the peel. Papaya wedges are a healthy and creative way to dress up your breakfast dishes. If you want cubes rather than wedges, just turn the wedges sideways and slice into chunks or cubes. Enjoy!