Papaya (Ripen at Home)
The thin skin is smooth, slightly waxy, and firm with variegated hues of orange, yellow, and green depending on maturity. Underneath the surface, the flesh is crisp, dense, tender, and dark orange with a central seed cavity filled with pale orange membranes and many dark brown seeds. When ripe, Bangkok papayas have a creamy and smooth consistency with a tropical, musky, and subtly sweet flavor.
Nutritional Value
Yellow papayas are a good source of vitamins A, C, and E, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties to help protect against vision loss and improve skin and hair. The fruit also contains potassium, manganese, folate, and magnesium.
To ripen a papaya at home, you can use the following methods:
Room Temperature:
- Place the papaya on your kitchen counter at room temperature.
- It will naturally ripen in 2 to 3 days.
- You can check its ripeness by gently pressing the fruit; it should give slightly to pressure and the skin will turn more yellow.
Paper Bag Method:
- Put the papaya in a paper bag and fold the top to close it.
- This traps the ethylene gas that fruits release, which speeds up the ripening process.
- You can add an apple or banana to the bag, as they produce more ethylene gas, helping the papaya ripen faster (in 1 to 2 days).
Sunlight:
- Place the papaya in a warm, sunny spot, such as a windowsill, for quicker ripening.
- Make sure to check on it regularly to avoid over-ripening.