In this new cooking series, Chef Seeto turns to the backyard garden to discover there are many more ways to enjoy some of our everyday fruits and vegetables, turning common produce into culinary delights.
Do you say pawpaw, papaw or papaya? While they all describe the same family of fruit; technically papaw (sic) describes the larger yellow fruit that is not as sweet as its smaller cousin, the red papaya with its green/yellow skin, according to Papaya Australia. And the fruit called American pawpaw is not actually a papaya or papaw, it’s a different species that looks more like custard apple or soursop. Confused?
The fruit we mostly enjoy and export is the Fiji red papaya (Hawaiian solo sunrise), which most just call pawpaw. Our nutrient rich soils have produced an even sweeter red papaya than grown in Hawaii, making it a highly sought-after commodity if we can only produce more. Along with coconuts, pawpaw trees are one of the most prolific and common fruit trees in most people’s back yards or village. They are literally within arm’s reach nearly everywhere you go, even if it means borrowing a few from a neighbour’s tree.
We enjoy their vivid orange-red flesh that is sweet and musky when ripe, or pickled when they’re raw and green or turn them into delicious chutney, relish or jams.
Although the Fiji red papaya is uniquely local with its distinctive tropical island taste, tracing the origins of the fruit of the Gods reveals some creative ways that other cultures have come up with to enjoy this humble fruit.
Whether you call it pawpaw or red papaya, this superfood has a rich history and has been used for centuries in folk medicine for its therapeutic and medicinal properties.
History of papaya
Papaya is native to the tropics of the Americas, Central America and northern South America and was cultivated in Mexico. In the ancient Mayan civilisation (circa 2000BCE), the people honoured the papaya tree and called it the “Tree of Life”. Mayan Indians would use papaya fruit in the form of a paste to heal skin rash or other skin problems, a technique still used in traditional Fijian medicine and by Pure Fiji in its body products to brighten and refreshen skin. In historical literature, papayas were first mentioned in 1526 by the Spanish explorer Oviedo, who observed it growing along the Caribbean coasts of Panama and Colombia. Shortly after, papayas were taken to other warm-weather countries by the Spaniards and Portuguese, a clue as to how papaya arrived to the South Pacific.
The Fiji papaya industry was founded on the Hawaii Solo Sunrise species, developed at the University of Hawaii in the 1980s, although many villages also have the yellow papaw.
Papaya as medicine
Papaya has several medicinal properties and native inhabitants of South America have used them for centuries to treat numerous diseases and symptoms. Mature, ripe fruits have been used traditionally as an effective remedy against ringworm and other fungal and parasitic infections, because of their anthelmintic properties. Papaya was also applied topically for the treatment of cuts, rashes, stings and burns.
The unripe green fruit, on the other hand, has been used to lower blood pressure and even as an aphrodisiac in the bedroom!
The black papaya seeds, which most people dispose of, were used to reduce inflammation and pain because of their analgesic properties. Raw papaya fruit was used for all ailments of the digestive system. The green leaves of papaya were used in several regions of Asia to make tea and believed to have protective properties against malaria. Leaves were also steamed and eaten like a vegetable and used as a heart tonic, analgesic and to treat stomach-ache. Even the roots appear to have analgesic effects, and were sometimes eaten raw or in teas to reduce inflammatory pain.
Dubbed the Fruit of the Gods, papaya is a nutritional powerhouse and excellent source of vitamin C, folate, potassium and dietary fibre. Papayas are also high in vitamins A, E and K and papain, an enzyme which helps digest proteins. And in addition to its superior taste, the Fiji Red is also the only variety that contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant which nutritional doctors claim can help prevent many modern diseases of the heart.
Powerful vegetable
This incredible ancient fruit is a powerful raw and green vegetable packed with even more natural medicines, so you don’t have to wait until they are soft to enjoy their medicinal benefits.
South East Asian cuisine features green pawpaw in many raw salads, a secret anti-ageing and restorative ingredient when the fruit is more a vegetable. Being green, it carries the lifeblood of plants that are so good for your body that Pure Fiji has long promoted its use in their skin and hair products.
The green papaya or papaw is fermented on site at the Pure Fiji factory using the skin, flesh and seeds (more on this shortly.) Their website describes green papaya as being very high in papain, an enzyme which is capable of dissolving or breaking down the outer layer of the skin. It also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and assists in the formation of granulation tissue or new skin. Pawpaw enzymes can promote skin metabolism, help dissolve the accumulation of sebum in the pores and ageing skin, making skin appear brighter and refreshed, says the Pure Fiji site.
The vitamin A accelerates the formation of new cells, and protects the external layers of the skin. If it’s good for the external cells then I would wager our internals must love its ability to repair cells, even organ cells. Pawpaw also contains 48 times more vitamin C than an apple, one of nature’s best antioxidants for the body — inside and out!
Are the seeds edible?
While most people throw them away, papaya seeds are not only edible, small amounts of them in your diet can be surprisingly good for you. People think I’m crazy when I eat the black seeds but I know their medicinal value in killing unwanted parasites and to prevent or possibly even treat food poisoning.
The seeds of papaya are believed to have a strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect on our digestive systems. Studies have shown an extract made from them is effective at killing E coli, Salmonella, Staph and other dangerous bacterial infections of the tummy.
They have a strong flavour, more like a cross between mustard (sarso) and black peppercorns and make an usual addition to my dishes. Their peppery taste and sandy texture when crushed is not for everyone, but if you can handle that try adding them to your diet. A small amount of pawpaw seeds taken regularly is said to also help with liver detoxification. Anything that can improve the vital functions of the liver will be likely to improve your health in general.
Meat and pawpaw pairing
Like other tropical fruits including coconut, mango, pineapple and banana, papaya works amazingly well with most meats and especially seafood dishes. In Malaysia, there is an unusual peppery prawn broth that uses half ripe pawpaw as a sweetener and dried shrimps that add a wonderful aroma.
In South American cuisine, papaya is often used to make a mojo, or salsa to enjoy with roasted and near blackened fish. The sweet fruit contrasts the charcoal sharpness of the fish, a match made in heaven.
Green pawpaw also works well in the Fijian coconut miti like ota ferns and sea grapes. And the next time you have some pork, papaya, lime and coriander in the kitchen, you must try a Thai dish that magically combines all these ingredients together in harmony, finished with some crushed peppery pawpaw seeds for added punch.
Fiji’s red papaya is one of our exporter’s most powerful superfoods that is not only superior in sweetness and taste to its Hawaiian cousin, it also is one of the most medicinal varieties in the world.
Tell any Asian person that a particular food is anti-ageing and you’ll be guaranteed they’ll buy it by the case; just ask my mum! This bodes well for pawpaw exporters looking to sell our premium produce to a discerning Asian market, but for those of us living in Fiji — just stretch out your arm and enjoy them every day — seeds included.
* The author is an award-winning celebrity chef, culinary ambassador for Fiji Airways and the “Fiji Grown” campaign, and honorary culinary adviser to the Fiji Olympic Team.
