Papaya is a refreshing and sweet fruit, beloved by many. It is packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and has a low-calorie count. Papaya is also juicy and high in fiber.
To choose the best papaya, keep the following in mind:
**Pay Attention to the Season and Variety:**
The Lò Rèn papaya, renowned for its abundant flesh, thin skin, and glossy appearance, has a rich, sweet flavor that is highly sought after. The season for this variety extends from September of one year to April of the next, with the peak of its sweetness occurring around October, November, and December.
Look for a Glossy, Taut Skin
**Consider the Color of the Skin:**
Papayas come with either purple or green skin. Regardless of the variety, the skin should be bright and glossy, and as it ripens, the color will fade, indicating that it is mature and will be juicy. The base of the fruit is usually a deeper shade. It’s worth noting that a bruised papaya often has a more intense flavor.
**Assess the Smoothness of the Skin:**
A taut, smooth skin is an indicator of a delicious papaya. On the other hand, a wrinkled fruit indicates that it has been picked for a while and will have lost some of its sweetness and aroma. The flesh may also be drier, and insects may have infested it.
Choose a ripe papaya rather than an unripe or overripe one that has fallen from the tree. Unripe papayas, when brought home and left to ripen, tend to be less juicy, bland, and astringent.
**Examine the Stalk:**
When selecting a papaya, take a look at the stalk. If it still has its stalk intact, it’s freshly picked. Typically, papayas don’t retain their stalks and leaves after a few days. The best flavor comes from fruits that are just ripe.
A Ripe Papaya Should Feel Soft When Pressed
**Feel the Fruit:**
When choosing a papaya, give it a gentle squeeze. If it yields to gentle pressure, it’s ripe and ready to eat. If it feels hard, it may be fibrous and lacking in juice, but it’s not unripe. Especially avoid fruits that are hard at the stalk but soft at the base.
If the skin feels supple and bounces back when pressed, it indicates a thin skin. However, if it feels rigid and unyielding, the skin is likely thick. An unappetizing papaya will feel slightly firm at the base and very firm near the stalk when pressed.
Papaya is a delicious fruit. Before eating, gently squeeze the fruit all over to ensure it is soft. The best way to eat papaya is to finish squeezing, then pull the stalk and suck the juice from there until it’s gone, instead of cutting it. If you’ve never eaten papaya this way before, give it a try! Although it may not be the most elegant way to eat, it ensures you get every last drop of the delicious juice.
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