Papaya is a tropical fruit tree widely cultivated in the Philippines. The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Green papaya is used in Southeast Asian cooking. In the Philippines, it is one of the main ingredient in their traditional dish, the Tinolang Manok.
Papaya fruit is a significant source of vitamin C and folate, but otherwise has generally low content of nutrients. Papaya skin, pulp and seeds also contain a variety of phytochemicals, including carotenoids and polyphenols. Papayas also have a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies. In Brazil, the unripe fruits are often used to make sweets or preserves.
Dried Sweet Papaya Recipe
Materials:
- Half-ripe papaya, 1 kilo
- Kalamansi juice, 1 tbsp. for every cup of syrup
- Sodium metabisulfite powder, for every 1/4 tsp. = + 1 tsp. lime in 4 cups
water - 1 part sugar for 2 parts water
- 1 kilo sugar for every kilo of papaya
Procedure:
- Peel the half-ripe papaya and remove seeds, wash.
- Slice into pieces, about 12 x 4 cm.
- Arrange in nylon or sinamay and steam for 5-6 minutes.
- Soak overnight in lime-metabisulfite solution.
- Drain.
- Soak the papaya overnight in hot syrup with calamansi.
- Next day, drain the syrup and add 1½ cups more sugar.
- Soak again overnight the papaya in hot syrup.
- Repeat nos. 7, 8 & 9 for three more days.
- Drain and rinse.
- Arrange in trays and put in oven at 65°C-70°C for 16-18 hours, or dry in the sun until it becomes tough.
- Keep in plastic bags, seal.
Source: en.wikipedia.org