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~ raw, dehydrated ~
Do you enjoy… Banane de Prairie, Caricae Papayae Folium, Carica papaya, Carica peltata, Carica posoposa, Chirbhita, Erandachirbhita, Erand Karkati, Green Papaya, Mamaerie, Melonenbaumblaetter, Melon Tree, Papaw, Papayas, Papaye, Papaye Verte, Papayer, Papita?
If you said yes to any of these, you like papaya. :) The other day while I was hanging out in the produce department, I spied a HUGE papaya and it lured me in. The produce man was standing nearby and saw my excitement as I fondled held it.
He walked over to me and asked if I had ever had a papaya. I smiled and told him that I loved them. He pointed to the one that I was cuddling and claimed that it was a good one. He said that when they look ready for the trash, they are perfectly ripe. I extended my hands, cradling it in my palms… “Ready for the trash?” It’s mine!
I was never fond of papaya growing up. This is another one of those foods that shifted for me when I started a high raw diet. My taste buds really really got confused. I was feeding them foods that they once wanted to spit out, and now they were enjoying.
For those of you who don’t care for papaya, I ask you to make sure that you give it a fair chance by eating a very ripe one. This is one of those fruits that I can’t tolerate unripe.
When selecting you usually find them slightly green, however, they will ripen quickly at room temperature, especially if placed in a paper bag. Ripening turns them from green to yellow. Once ripe, place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Papayas will keep for up to a week, but it’s best to use them within a day or two.
The most common papayas found in the store are Hawaiian and Mexican. These particular ones are pear-shaped and weigh about a pound each. They will have a yellow skin when ripe.
The flesh is bright orange or pinkish, depending on the variety. The Mexican variety is not as common but can be found in Latino supermarkets. They are much larger then the Hawaiian types and can weigh up to 20 pounds and be more than 15 inches long.
Although the flavor is less intense than the Hawaiian varieties, they are still delicious and enjoyable. Personally, I haven’t had the pleasure to experience a 20 lb papaya, but ooooh boy, I would love to get my paws on one of those. :)
This post really isn’t a “recipe”. It’s more about inspiring you to try papaya and to have another way to preserve it for future enjoyment.
Hello Amie Sue! How have you been? Long time, no speak! :) I have a question- I found some dehydrated papaya with no sugar or sulfur on it at a Turkish hole in the wall grocery today. This dried papaya is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. It’s chewy and moist but dry papaya. It looks a little different than the picture that you have, so I am wondering if whoever is dehydrating this papaya is drying it the same way you are. I am going to try to find who makes it and ask them. In the meantime, do you have any ideas? It is not dry to the touch, but a little sticky and shiny. Very bendable without breaking and chewy- it’s AMAZING!
On a side note, I have been wanting to ask you- I found a nice raw vegan meatball recipe and it doesn’t say there how long I can store it. I was wondering if you would know? It
‘s walnut based with some shredded veggies in them and then dehydrated. Can I freeze these? Would they thaw well? How long can I keep them in the fridge? Your the best Amie, thank you.
Good afternoon :) It is wonderful to hear from you. I am doing well, keeping busy and staying IN trouble. hehe
My guess about the dried papaya is that they dried it at a higher and shorter temperature. Most companies that do dried fruit are not concerned about keeping in raw (under 115 degrees (F). Most dried papaya that I find in the stores has sulfur and is sugared so that is a great find. If often is also very “fleshy” and not in slicer thickness like mine.
When you contact the manufacturer, ask them what temp they dry at and if it is organic. Guessing if the packing didn’t state it, its not, but you never know with other countries.
Regarding the meatballs… without knowing the recipe its hard to say. I would contact the developer of the recipe but when I make mine I figure they are good for 4-5 days in the fridge and tend to freeze ok for about 1 month. It all depends on the moisture content that is left in them after dehydrating. The more moisture, the shorter the shelf life. You could even make them ahead of time and freeze them before dehydrated. Then thawing and drying them when you wanted to use them.
I hope some of this helps! Blessings and keep in touch :) amie sue
Wow, great suggestions, Amie Sue. And yes, that makes so much sense about what you said about the higher and shorter temp- I think you are totally right.
About the meatballs- wow, that’s a great idea, to freeze them, then dehydrate them. Do you have a meatball recipe? I don’t remember seeing one. This is the recipe that I am using for the meatballs- I was thinking of you when I made these today because I like the taste of them but I wish they had a “warmer” taste. I was thinking to ask you if I should add cumin? Is there anything in this recipe that you feel is lacking? I like them, but it isn’t quite as perfect as your recipes are. :)
http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/recipes/raw_vegan_spaghetti_marinara_and_no_meat_balls
I also like the sauce here, but for some reason it turned out bitter even though I chopped, didn’t blend the basil. I guess it was the tomatoes? Can tomatoes make a raw marinara sauce bitter?
Awesome, glad I could be of help :)
This is a recipe that I have had on my site for some time now. I did create another meatball recipes last week (as you might have seen on FB) but I haven’t posted it to my site yet.
https://nouveauraw.com/raw-recipies/main-dishes/nomato-spaghetti-with-vegan-meatballs-nut-free/
Cumin is a great warming spice and would great to add. I use it in a lot of my recipes. :) Also, don’t be afraid to warm the meatballs in the dehydrator for eating pleasure. You don’t want to dry them out… but you can warm them heating them at 145 degrees for roughly 30 minutes without hurting the enzymes. Also, place your food on a warmed plate to increase the sensation of eating something warm and comforting. Just a few ideas. :)
Regarding the bitterness in the sauce… this could be brought on by several things… so here are some ideas to think over…
1. Start with the best tasting produce. If the produce isn’t ripe it will effect the end flavor… don’t try to hide flavorless ingredients behind spices.
2. Sun-dried tomatoes can take on a bitter flavor due to be so concentrated… also depends on if they are packed in anything else. They can be acidic too which might be what you are detecting over bitterness. Taste the sun-dried tomatoes by themselves. After swallowing, pay attention to the aftertaste in your mouth. Does it taste “bitter”? If so, you can try other sun-dried tomatoes or cut down the measurement. You just might be sensitive to them.
3. Remove the white pith and seeds of the red pepper… they can taste bitter too, but I am guessing it wouldn’t be enough to cause that in this recipe due to the volume of the other ingredients.
4. If it is the basil that is bitter to you, try using dried basil and blending it in with the other ingredients.
Foods for thought. hehe Hope this helps! amie sue
Awesome! Wow, wonderful tips, truly because I am trying to pull off a raw vegan Italian dinner for some guests this coming weekend. If I have the time, I am going to make your meatballs tomorrow to test them out. I’m nota big mushroom person, but I think all of the other ingredients will help. Going to look on FB right now for the other meatball you posted but I did not see. :) Thanks again!
I hope you like the recipe for my meatballs. Keep me posted. I don’t care for raw mushrooms either but I love them in this recipe. :) amie sue
Amie Suuuuuuuuuue!!!!!!!!!!!! I just saw your post of your GORGEOUS meatballs on Facebook that you told me about! I am planning on serving an Italian meal this weekend and I would LOVE to have that recipe if you have the time to post it this week. Absolutely gorgeous! Is there any way? lol Girl, very few people have your talent! Consider me desperate. :)
I won’t be releasing the recipe by then… I have much work to do in getting it ready. You will do great for your gathering though! Sorry but the recipe will be shared in time. :) Blessings, amie sue
Hi Amie Sue! Totally understand! No problem.
Thank you for your understanding and patience. hugs, amie sue