Want to make papaya interesting? Indian chefs share recipes for murabba, salads and Japanese food

Papayas are definitely one of the most underrated fruits on the fruit cart even though it enjoys quite a towering presence among other fruits available right now. It's because the sweet, sour and citrus nature of fruits like apples, oranges, and grapes attracts most people during this time of the year over the less sweeter papaya, which is unusually mushy and not really a favourite. These qualities are also probably why most people do not give it a second look unless you have really grown up eating the greenish-yellow fruit.

While the fruit is known to be popularly eaten during winter because of the heat it produces, it is available all year around, and can be used in a variety of dishes, say Indian chefs, and they promise to make you reconsider your opinion about papayas in more than one way. Every year, people enjoy a variety of fruits during winter that are often turned into a variety of fruit juices and milkshakes, but it is often hard to find one made out of papaya. While Asian cuisines like Thai boast of using papaya in their food, especially salads, which are absolutely delicious, Indians have their own preparations too but they may not be well-known. So, it is no surprise that Indian chefs want you to give papayas which are available in abundance a desi twist.

With the winter season here and the need for warmth, mid-day.com spoke to Indian chefs from cities around the country including Kolkata, Kodaikanal and Mumbai to share the recipes for favourite dishes they make with papaya. They not only encourage you to celebrate the murabba but also want you to use it in different kinds of salads. Apart from easily making a smoothie and even halwa out of it, they also convince you to take it a step further by using the fruit to make a unique Japanese dish.

Papaya Wa Tataki
If you love Japanese cuisine and frequently make dishes, then chef Sanket Satare, who is the chef de cuisine at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar in Andheri wants you to experiment with papayas differently. The Mumbai chef wants you to make a delicious Papaya Wa Tataki, which is basically fire-torched ripened papaya with orange ponzu vinegar. Satare explains,"Tataki is a Japanese preparation where ripened papaya is seared at a scorching temperature and rapidly cooled down to leave the centre as rare or untouched as possible. Ponzu sauce is a Japanese dipping sauce made from soy sauce or tamari, citrus juice, mirin, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), kombu (kelp), and rice vinegar. It is commonly served as a condiment for tataki and sashimi."

Ingredients:
Ripe papaya - 1/2 no
Lemon juice 2/3 cup
Orange zest 2 nos
Orange juice 1/3 cup
Rice vinegar 1/4 cup
Soy sauce 1 cup
Maple syrup 1/3 cup
Sesame oil 3 tbsp
Sriracha sauce 2 tbsp
Garlic cloves, grated 2 nos

Method:
1. In a small bowl, thoroughly whisk together all the ingredients.
2. Allow the mixture to sit for approximately 30 minutes before serving.
3. For the papaya, thinly slice the papaya and arrange it artistically.
4. Use a blowtorch to impart a delightful, charred effect to the papaya.
5. Garnish with finely chopped scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Papaya ka Murabba
One of the best ways to eat papaya is to turn it into a murabba, a delicious preserve, because it can be eaten all year round and versions of the dish are made with different fruits in Indian homes over many years. Serving it at Kebabs & Kurries in ITC Grand Central in Parel, chef Mohammed Shareef shares, "The murabba can be enjoyed with starters or with biryanis too. It is an age-old homemade recipe, that we have preserved and introduced on our menu as sides." The sweet and spicy preserve is made from raw papaya along with some raisins, chillies and nutmeg too.

Ingredients:
Raw papaya 1 kg
Sugar 1 kg
Vinegar 700 ml
Raisins 150 gm
Saunf/aniseed 20 gm
Kalonji 10 gm
Salt 5 gm
Whole red chillies (remove seeds) 10 pieces
Milk 30 ml
Nutmeg 1/3 gm

Method:
1. Wash and peel the skin of the papaya. Remove the seeds and then cut papaya into thin slices.
2. Heat the milk in a kadai and add sugar and vinegar and mix well.
3. Add the papaya and all the spices and raisins and cook well for 20-30 minutes until the consistency becomes sticky.
4. Add nutmeg by grating it and mix well.
5. Let it set and cool for 1 hour and then transfer into a jar.
6. Serve it as a compliment.

Green Papaya Salad
While murabbas can be enjoyed over many months, the best way to consume any fruits beyond eating them raw is by including them in a salad, if you want a no-fuss method. That is exactly what Suman Thapa, executive chef at Romaania in Kolkata recommends with the Raw Papaya Salad. Thapa shares, "There are many reasons why papaya has been added to the menu at the restaurant. Papaya is loaded with nutrients and has an antioxidant effect. It is known to be anti-cancer too. It improves heart health and helps in digestion." The salad is tangy, says the Kolkata-based chef, yet filled with flavours of fresh papaya and apple with a slight vinaigrette flavour.

Ingredients:
Green papaya 1 1/2 cup
Garlic 2 cloves
Thai chilli (to taste)
Lime juice 2 tbsp
Cherry tomatoes 7 nos
Ginger 1/2 cup
Nuts handful

Method:
1. Drain the soaked papaya keeping little moisture to not dilute the dressing and keep aside.
2. In a bowl, pound garlic and chillies into small pieces, add the juice and ginger and pound well to extract flavour.
3. Add a little sugar if required.
4. Add the peanuts and pound until they are broken.
5. Add the shredded papaya and sliced green apple and tomatoes and flip it till tomatoes are slightly crushed.
6. Plate it and serve fresh.

Raw Papaya Halwa
Celebrating the diversity of Indian cuisine, chef Vinayak Patil at Butterfly High in Mumbai wants you to also attempt making a mouthwatering warm Raw Papaya Halwa that you can enjoy this winter. The city chef takes the fruit and combines it with dry fruits to make a comforting halwa that can be enjoyed after your meal.

Ingredients:
Raw papaya 1 nos medium size
Ghee 2 tbsp
Kısmış 2 tbsp
Cashews 2 tbsp
Sugar 1/2 cups
Cardamom powder 1/4 tsp
Edible yellow food colour 1 pinch

Method:
1. Peel raw papaya cut and remove seeds.
2. Grate the papaya and keep it aside.
3. Heat a pan, add some water, and keep it to boil. Add the grated papaya to it. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Strain and keep it aside.
5. Take another pan, add 1 tbsp ghee and heat, then add kısmıs and cashews.
6. Remove the nuts as they turn slightly brown, add papaya and sautée well. Add sugar, 1 tbsp ghee, cashews,kısmıs, cardamom powder, food colour and mix well.
7. Turn off the heat, let it cool a little and then serve.

Raw Papaya and Green Mango Spicy Peanut Salad
Want to experiment with flavours in your salad? Then Xavier Pramanik, executive chef at Refinery 091 in Kolkata wants you to add some green mango to your salad with papaya to make a delicious Raw Papaya and Green Mango Spicy Peanut Salad. Making use of the freshest greens of the season and relying on the availability of green mangoes in online markets, Pramanik says you can add some red cabbage, different kinds of capsicum, lemongrass, along sriracha and bird's eye chilli, and even peanut butter to add some zing to your daily lunch or dinner. With so many different kinds of ingredients, the salad can also become a meal by itself on any day.

Ingredients:
Raw papaya, shredded 150 gm
Raw mango, shredded 40 gm
Red cabbage, shredded 10 gms
Green capsicum, shredded 10 gm
Red capsicum, shredded 10 gm
Yellow capsicum, shredded 10 gm
Lemon leaf, chopped 1 gm
Lemongrass, chopped 1 gm
Peanut butter 10 gm
Roasted peanut, crushed 5 gm
Sesame oil 2 ml
Sriracha chilli sauce 3 no
Birds eye chilli, chopped 1 gm
Salt 2 gm
Sugar 1 gm
Lemon juice 5 ml
Black pepper powder 2 gm
Sesame seed 1 gm

Method:
1. Peel and shred the papaya and raw mango. Put in a bowl with ice water, drain water after 15 minutes. Keep aside.
2. Add all the ingredients in a separate bowl (except crushed peanuts) and mix well.
3. Mix all ingredients together now and toss to the mix.
4. Serve on a plate or shallow bowl and top with crushed peanuts.

Papaya Smoothie
Making elaborate dishes may be time consuming, so when Nitesh Chandra Phani, chef at The Tamara Kodai says you can always opt to make a Papaya Smoothie, it is definitely a quick treat to celebrate the fruit. Apart from aiding in digestion, Phani also highlights, "Papayas are proven to protect against heart disease, reduces inflammation, boosts your immune system, prevents constipation, improves eyesight and skin health."

Ingredients:
Ripe papaya cubes 300 gm
Milk or soya milk 120 ml
Curd 60 gm
Honey t tbsp
Vanilla essence2 drops
Ice cubes (optional) 10 to 12 nos

Method:
1. In a blender, add papaya cubes, curd, milk, and honey together and blend well.
2. Pour into a glass, and add ice cubes. Stir well and serve.