Papaya tastes best when freshly picked, but few of us are lucky enough to have a papaya tree in the garden. If you want to take a trip to the tropics with the palate, learn to distinguish a ripe papaya and buy it at the supermarket. If you can only find unripe fruit, you can ripen them indoors in a few days.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Choosing a Ripe Papaya
Step 1. Examine the color
The peel of a ripe papaya has different shades ranging from yellow to red through orange. There may be small green areas, especially if the fruit has been ripened quickly at home.
Step 2. Touch the papaya
Gently crush the fruit with your fingertips. If it is slightly saggy, it means it is ripe. If it's hard, it's definitely unripe. Note that if papaya has any mushy or shriveled parts, unfortunately the best time to eat it has already passed.
Discard any fruit that is soft around the stem
Step 3. Check the base of the papaya to make sure it is not moldy
Look at the area around where the stalk used to be. If you notice even the slightest trace of mold, choose another fruit.
Step 4. Smell the base of the papaya
Look for one with a sweet and delicate scent. Discard the odorless fruits because it means they are not yet ripe. Also avoid any that have a strong or unpleasant odor as they may be old or spoiled.
Part 2 of 2: Storing the Papaya
Step 1. Put the ripe fruits in the refrigerator
If the papaya is ripe, store it in the refrigerator to slow down its decay. It may last up to a week, but the best choice you can make is to eat it within a couple of days.
Step 2. Store the unripe fruit at room temperature
If the papaya still has some green parts, let it ripen in the fruit bowl. It should be ready within a few days. Here are two ways to make it mature faster without risking it spoiling:
- Keep it horizontally and leave some space between each fruit. Protect it from direct sunlight and occasionally rotate it slightly to change the support point.
- Seal it in a bread bag and store it in a cool, dark place. Optionally you can add a banana, an apple or an avocado to make it ripen faster.
Step 3. Ripen the green fruits
If the papaya was picked when it was still totally unripe, it may never ripen. However, it is worth a try. Score the green peel with a sharp knife, drawing three vertical lines. You need to make sure that the blade penetrates the peel and superficially cuts into the pulp. Let the fruit ripen at room temperature for a few days.
Alternatively, you can look for a recipe that calls for green papaya, such as this salad
Step 4. Freeze the papaya
If you've bought a lot of fruit and think you can't eat them all, freeze the extra ones. Follow the steps precisely to minimize the risk of them becoming mushy or losing flavor:
- When the papaya is ripe, remove the peel and the end with the stalk;
- Cut it in half and remove the seeds;
- Slice the papaya, arrange the slices on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer for an hour or two;
- Transfer the frozen slices to a container and return them to the freezer;
- Alternatively, blend the papaya, pour the puree into an ice mold, freeze it, and then transfer the cubes to a container.
