Content
- Does the papaya belong to the fruit or vegetable?
- Different harvest times and types of use
- Tips & Tricks
Does the papaya belong to the fruit or vegetable?
A classification as fruit or vegetables is difficult with the tropical papaya. After all, the fruit that is very sweet in its ripe state can be prepared and consumed in immature state, just like a vegetable.
Different harvest times and types of use
The exact timing of the harvest does not yet decide on the use as fruit or vegetables, as papayas can still ripen after an immature picking of the plant. Following products are made in countries like Thailand and Laos are made from immature papayas following products:
In Laos, the Som Tam dish of unripe papayas, sticky rice and crabs in fish sauce is even the official national dish. Sweet fruits, on the other hand, are consumed in many countries like fruit. Their sweet taste can be intensified by the addition of sugar, lemon juice and ginger.
Tips & Tricks
When buying fruit that is not fully ripe, pick out pieces with yellow spots or streaks. Only these are sufficiently advanced in their maturation process to develop their maximum taste when ripening.