Papaya
The fruit of the papaya tree, used half-ripe for long-boiled soups (it holds its shape) and green for nursing-mother fish soups. Peeled, seeded and chunked, it lends a mellow fruity sweetness and a soft, almost custardy texture to pots with fish tail, peanuts or snow fungus.
TCM properties
Nature · neutral Flavour · sweet Meridians · spleen、stomach
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese food therapy papaya is used to strengthen the spleen and ease food stagnation, and green-papaya fish soup is the traditional confinement pot taken by nursing mothers.
Cautions: read first
- Safety criticalNot for pregnant women. Papaya latex can bring on uterine contractions (green and unripe papaya especially)
Preparation
Half-ripe papaya stands up to long boiling better; use green papaya for milk-boosting soups (上奶湯). Peel, deseed and cut into pieces.
Origin
Mainly grown in Hainan, Guangdong and Guangxi within China. Australian retail is Queensland-grown red papaya (e.g. Kingfisher brand)
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
