For the best taste when enjoying papayas, it is important to wait for the right degree of ripeness of the fruit. However, papayas only have a limited shelf life from this point on.

Wait for the right degree of ripeness for freezing

In the following growing areas around the world, papayas are now ready to be harvested almost all year round and then brought to us by plane:

  • Brazil
  • Thailand
  • Nigeria
  • India
  • Mexico
  • China

It's important to buy papayas for fruit consumption only if the skin already shows at least some yellowish spots or streaks. Since a papaya that has been harvested completely green can no longer really ripen, it should be used at most for the preparation of hot papaya salads due to its less sweet taste. However, unripe papayas for the papaya salad cannot be frozen and thawed again, as this is associated with a high loss of taste.

Freeze papayas in the right condition

You can recognize the right degree of ripeness of a sweet papaya with a combination of color and pressure test. Fully ripe fruits are yellow to slightly red in color and yield slightly when the skin is gently pressed. Simply cut the papaya in half and scoop out the seeds with ease. The somewhat watery consistency of frozen papayas due to thawing can be avoided by pureeing the pulp. To intensify the fine taste of the papayas, you can add a little lemon juice to the fruit mixture before freezing.

Recipe ideas for thawed papayas

Papayas stored in the freezer can be used in pureed form for fruity smoothies. If you have fresh or frozen blackberries and an apple from the garden, these ingredients and the defrosted papayas can be used to puree a delicious smoothie with a blender. The taste can be nuanced with a little maple syrup. You can also mix the papaya puree with the same amount of low-fat quark and a squeeze of lemon juice, fold in some whipped cream and create a refreshing papaya cream for dessert.

tips and tricks

Do not wait to freeze the papaya until the fruit is very soft and can no longer be used for anything else. The frozen pulp only has a high taste quality if it is processed in good time.

WK

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

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