Next time you're lucky enough to slice a brightly colored papaya don't discard its small round seeds. They have a slightly bitter and peppery taste, but what is most important is that according to experts they are good for your health. You can try incorporating them into a smoothie, marinade, or salad dressing. Alternatively, you can dry and grind them into a fine powder with which you can replace black pepper.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Use Natural Papaya Seeds
Step 1. Cut the papaya in half and remove the seeds
Place the ripe papaya on the cutting board and cut it in half vertically. Take a spoon and extract the seeds from each of the two halves.
You can eat the papaya right away or you can store it in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight container and eat it within 5-7 days
Step 2. Add a tablespoon of papaya seeds to your next smoothie
You can mask their bitter taste by pairing them with distinctly sweet ingredients, such as coconut milk, honey or ripe fruit. Try this tropical recipe for example:
- 225 g of pineapple;
- 230 g of papaya;
- 1 tablespoon of papaya seeds;
- 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger;
- 120 ml of water;
- 120 ml of coconut milk;
- 3-4 ice cubes;
- Honey, to taste.
Step 3. Enrich your dishes with papaya seeds
If you want to include them in your diet to take advantage of their medicinal properties or if you simply want to use them as a decorative element, add them before bringing the dish to the table. You can use a couple of them to garnish a salad, soup, roast, or grilled vegetables.
Use them whole or mash them lightly before adding them to dishes
Step 4. Blend the papaya seeds and make a tropical dressing
Follow this simple recipe to make a sweet and sour sauce that's easy to pair with a mixed salad or the papaya itself. Blend the following ingredients until you get a smooth, homogeneous sauce:
- 80 ml of rice vinegar;
- 80 ml of extra virgin olive oil;
- Half a small sweet onion;
- 1 tablespoon of honey;
- Half a teaspoon of salt;
- Half a teaspoon of mustard powder;
- 1 and a half tablespoons of papaya seeds.
Step 5. Use papaya seeds to marinate the meat
Make a marinade to flavor chicken, beef, or pork. Cut a papaya in half, remove the seeds and transfer them to a large bowl. Add a finely chopped clove of garlic, 60 ml of coconut cream, 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander and a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh ginger. Add the juice and zest of a lemon or lime. Marinate the meat in the tureen and leave it to flavor in the refrigerator for the desired time, up to a maximum of 24 hours.
When you're ready to cook the chicken, beef, or pork, drain the marinade and place it on the hot barbecue grill. The cooking time varies according to your tastes
Step 6. Use papaya seeds to make a hot sauce
Combine them with spices and vinegar to obtain a peppery and pungent flavor dressing. Blend 90 g of papaya seeds with 60 ml of apple cider vinegar, half a teaspoon of salt, half a tablespoon of honey and a clove of garlic. Keep blending until you get a smooth, homogeneous sauce.
You can use this dressing in place of tabasco or sriracha sauce
Suggestion:
if you want the sauce to taste even more pungent, add three quarters of a teaspoon of fresh horseradish.
Method 2 of 2: Dry and Powder the Papaya Seeds
Step 1. Cut a papaya in half vertically and remove the seeds
Place a ripe papaya on the cutting board and slice it lengthwise in half with a sharp knife. Extract the small black seeds by gently scraping the pulp of the two halves of the papaya with a spoon.
Choose a papaya with a yellow skin and check that the pulp is slightly soft, pressing it gently with your fingers to make sure it is ripe
Step 2. Wash the seeds with cold water
Place them in a fine mesh colander and rinse them under cold running water. There may be some residue from the membrane where the seeds were enclosed, but just rub with your fingers to get rid of them. Continue rinsing the seeds until they are perfectly clean.
It is important to remove all pieces of the membrane otherwise the seeds could rot
Step 3. Preheat the oven
Turn it on to 65 ° C and let it warm up, in the meantime transfer the papaya seeds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread them in a single even layer so they dry faster.
The parchment paper will prevent the seeds from sticking to the pan
Step 4. Let the seeds dry in the oven for 2-4 hours
Place the pan in the hot oven and let the seeds dry. As the hours go by they will become hard and slightly shriveled; at that point they will be ready to be crushed and reduced to powder.
If you have the dryer, you can use it to dry papaya seeds. Read the section of the instruction manual on how to dry the seeds
Step 5. Crush the seeds and use them instead of black pepper
Let them cool, then transfer them to the mortar and crush them with the pestle until you get a more or less coarse powder, according to your taste. Since papaya seeds have a naturally peppery taste, you can use them as a substitute for black pepper when cooking.
You can store dried papaya seeds at room temperature for several years, as long as you keep them away from moisture. Throw them away if they start to mold
Suggestion:
for convenience or if there are many papaya seeds, you can use a spice grinder.
Step 6. Combine powdered papaya seeds with other spices
Make a spice blend to season the meat with using ground papaya seeds, cayenne pepper, sea salt, and garlic powder, in equal parts. You can also add some of your favorite spices and herbs, for example coriander, curry or cumin.
You can rub the spice mixture into beef steaks, chicken breast, or pork chops or ribs. After you have sprinkled it evenly with the spicy mix, cook the meat on the grill to give it a smoky aroma
Step 7. Season baked goods with papaya seeds powder
You can add flavor to bread or cakes by adding 1-2 teaspoons of papaya seed powder to the dough as you add the baking powder, baking soda, or other flavorings. Best pairings include banana bread, spiced bread, and of course papaya muffins.
Thanks to their pungent and spicy taste, papaya seeds can be used for both sweet and savory baked goods
Advice
- You may not like papaya seeds at first taste, but don't give up if you want to take advantage of their medicinal properties. Slowly you will get used to their taste.
- If you've never eaten papaya seeds before, you may find them very bitter and have a hard time digesting them. Don't eat more than a couple the first time to see how your stomach reacts.
