The best Papaya Soup you would ever want
Papaya Soup, I have to share this! I am not ashamed but disappointed that I did not find this recipe much earlier. This past Saturday I went to my local food market to buy a few things I needed. As I walked through the vegetable aisle, I noticed that the papayas were looking mighty good and green. So I decided to pick one up since I have not made a stew with this lovely fruit in a long time. I was so excited and could not wait to get home.
As I was unloading my car, I remembered that the meat that I removed from the freezer to thaw was veal and not beef. Veal is not a good choice because it is too mild and I will need some good spices. So with my sad look, I walked my little self to my workroom and started looking through my cooking books for inspiration.
Can you believe it was difficult to find a recipe? Ouch! Grrrr…! What will I do? I remembered my African Cookbook and immediately opened the book to the index section to search for papaya. Bingo! Papaya Soup from Tanzania was the winner!
I was happy and saved! Do you hear me? SAVED! Not knowing how the soup will turn out I was pretty darn excited to try it. Let me tell you! This is my new favorite soup. IT IS!
About Papaya
Before I go into details about the recipe here are some facts about papayas:
“The exact origination of papaya is unknown, but it is believed to be native to southern Mexico and neighboring Central America. The papaya is a melon-like fruit with yellow-orange flesh enclosed in a thin skin that varies in color from green to orange to rose. Papayas are a rich source of vitamin A, and C. One-half of small papaya can provide 150% of the recommended dietary intake of Vitamin C. It is low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free, and an excellent source of potassium, folate, and fiber.
Today papaya can be found all year long with the peak season beginning early summer and fall. Most of the papayas imported come from Hawaii, but smaller quantities from Florida, California, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Central and South American countries are becoming more available.
The papaya enzyme is called papain and it is used as a meat tenderizer. It breaks down tough meat fibers. South American cooks have been using papaya to tenderize meat for ages. It is sold as a component in powdered meat tenderizer available in most supermarkets.
How to select your papaya
Look for papayas that are partly or entirely yellow, depending on variety, which gives slightly to pressure, but is not soft at the stem end. Avoid papayas that are bruised, shriveled, or have soft areas. Papayas that are hard and green are immature and will not ripen properly. Uncut papayas have no smell. Papayas that are cut should smell sweet, not rotten or fermented.
How to store Papaya
Slightly green papayas will ripen quickly at room temperature, especially if placed in a paper bag. As the papaya ripens, it will turn from green to yellow. Put ripe papayas in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator. Papayas will keep for up to a week, but it’s best to use them within a day or two.
Varieties of Papayas
There are two types of papayas, Hawaiian and Mexican. The Hawaiian varieties also are known as Solo papayas, are found most often in supermarkets. These fruits are pear-shaped, weigh about a pound each, and have yellow skin when ripe. The flesh is bright orange or pinkish, depending on the variety. The Mexican varieties are not as common but can be found in Latino supermarkets. Mexican papayas are much larger than the Hawaiian types and can weigh up to 20 pounds and be more than 15 inches long. Although the flavor is less intense than the Hawaiian varieties, they are still delicious and enjoyable. (http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/fruit-month-papaya, 2015)
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Papaya Soup tastes marvelous, very smooth and you only need a few spices. Can you believe the number of ingredients you need? Check out the recipe as it is from the recipe book called “A Taste of Africa written by Dorinda Hafner. The recipe for Papaya Soup is from Tanzania. Tanzanian food as stated by the author is not easy to describe: it may be best classified as a local variation on universal African food with a strong tropical slant. And because of the wide variety of fruits available, many recipes have been developed to use them.
This soup is a must-try at least once. The papaya must not be rotten or ripped. The outside or skin must be green.
One important tip is when buying papaya, choosing the right one is critical if you are not ready to use it right away. Always use the papaya right away if you are planning on cooking with it. If not, juicing is usually the preferred choice. Here is another great and favorite soup as the papaya fruit is in season. Check out the recipe, all you have to do is buy the papaya! Pretty impressive! Right?
Lastly, don’t forget to add some Noubess Hot and Spicy Original Sauce so you can enjoy all the flavors of this wonderful fruit.
Enjoy!
Papaya Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium to large firm unripe papaya
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 3 shallots or a medium white onion minced
- 2 cups vegetables stock or chicken stock
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Peel the papaya, discard the seeds, and cut it into pieces.
- In a medium pan, heat the butter and fry the papayas and onion/shallots without browning.
- Add the stock, season with sale and pepper, and simmer until the papaya is soft.
- Put the mixture into a blender, and blend until smooth. Add ½ cup of the cream and mix in.
- If serving cold, let stand in a cool place until cold. Lightly pour on the remainder of the cream, and sprinkle the chopped chives on top before serving.
- If serving hot, return to the stove and heat on low. When it is hot, add the rest of the cream, and garnish with the chives before serving.
Notes
Add 1/4 teaspoon of Noubess Hot and Spicy Original Sauce if you want to take soup to the next level. Lots of delicous flavors!!! The soup can also be used with croutons if preferred.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
It is written in the list of ingredients as vegetable stock, and later as chicken stock. I would imagine the only difference would be preference, as you add cream, which would cancel out the vegetarians. I plan on making this tomorrow, as the frost has hit my papaya trees, so I am looking at recipes to save my papayas.
Hello Steven. Thank you for noticing that. We’ve updated the instructions. It is listed as vegetarian soup because we found out that several vegetarians use heavy cream for specific recipes. So it is an option. Having papaya trees sounds terrific! Let us know how the soup turns out. Thanks!
Wonderful flavor and texture.
I liked it better with 1/2 the vegetable broth. When I put in a bowl I sprinkle some ground green chili and hobenareo spice and stir it in. It can still not be hot but the flavor is fantastic.
Unlike some I don’t like very hot food. A small amount of Sriracha is my max heat for reference.
Thanks for sharing your experience. The ground green chili sounds amazing. Thanks!
I loved loved this super simple recipe for a really great tasting soup.
I have a papaya tree that is 3 years old and is constantly producing ginormous papayas. I never know what to do with them,
So I tried your soup recipe and although on the sweet side it is truly delicious,
Wow! A papaya tree! I am envious. Glad you like the soup. Have you tried our papaya and meat recipe? It’s delish!
I’ve never thought of making papaya into a soup. I will definitely give this a go as it looks mouthwatering.
Thanks Charlene.