Papaya Chutney - An Exotic Condiment! | Greedy Gourmet

Question 1

What is papaya chutney?

Accepted Answer

Papaya chutney is a spicy, sweet and savory chutney, with roots in Indian or more specifically Gujarati cuisine.

It’s popular throughout the Indian subcontinent, with every region having its own take on the recipe. Papaya chutney is also known by different names in different places.

In Gujarati it’s known as “papaya sambharo” for instance, while in West Bengal it’s called, rather appetizingly, “plastic chutney.”

The plastic chutney Bengali type is less spicy and omits the chilies and mustard seeds in favor of raisins for a sweeter taste.

This raw papaya chutney recipe is more like the traditional green papaya chutney recipe, with raw papaya, garlic cloves, garam masala, chili powder and lemon juice bringing some serious flavor!

Optional extra spices include mustard seeds and turmeric powder.

Question 2

How do you prepare papaya?

Accepted Answer

There’s a good chance you’ve never handled this beautiful tropical fruit before. If that’s the case, here’s a quick step-by-step on how to prepare raw papaya:

First, pick a papaya that’s ripe and ready to go. Unripe papaya just won’t cut it for this recipe.

Next, place the raw papaya on a good chopping board. Using a sharp kitchen knife, cut the papaya in half lengthways.

Open the raw papaya up fully and separate into two sections.

Use a teaspoon or dessert spoon to scrape out the seeds. Scrape with care – you don’t want to remove all that luscious papaya from the center of the fruit. You can keep the seeds to grind up and use as seasoning for other recipes – they taste similar to black pepper.

Use a small sharp knife or vegetable peeler to remove the skin.

Chop up the papaya.

Question 3

What other fruit can you pair with papaya?

Accepted Answer

The mildly sweet, buttery taste of papaya makes it ideal to pair with other fruits. If you want to add a new dimension to this chutney, simply swap out half the papaya called for in the recipe below for one of the following fruits:

Grapefruit – brings a hint of bitterness

Mango – a tropical fruit similar to papaya… these two make a great combo

Orange – that citrus sweet/tart flavor really works well with papaya

Passion fruit – another great tasting tropical fruit, the super sweet taste of passion fruit will combine with papaya to create a burst of flavor

Peach – the mellow sweetness of peach blends beautifully with papaya

Pineapple – a tropical marriage made in heaven and works particularly well with spices

Strawberry – the two together taste like a summer sunrise

Question 4

What other flavours work well in this chutney?

Accepted Answer

So… you want to add a little spice? Or perhaps you want to add some extra zest? Add any of the following to your papaya chutney to really tantalize those taste buds:

- 8g (1 tbsp) cayenne
- 2 green chillies
- 3g (2 tsp) coriander seed
- 4g (2 tsp) cumin seeds
- 3g (1 tsp) turmeric powder
- 11g (1 tbsp) black mustard seeds
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 lime, juice and zest

Question 5

What alcohol pairs well with papaya?

Accepted Answer

When it comes to fruit chutney and booze, port and papaya make a perfect pairing. Add a cheeseboard and call off the rest of the day.

Of course, you could actually make a boozy chutney. Simply pour in 125ml (½ cup) of port at the end of cooking time and jar up your chutney as soon as possible.

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