Two Easy Grated Raw Papaya Recipes – Papaya Salad & Teatime Snack

Two Easy Grated Raw Papaya Recipes

Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are so many notes and colors, there are so many flavors. It’s how you combine them that sets you apart. During the lockdown of May 2021, I experimented to make two dishes with raw papaya. These babies fell off the tree in my building compound during Cyclone Taukte‘s rage. The raw papayas were distributed to all residents of the building. With my share of papayas, I was excited to try out these two recipes.

1.  The first recipe is similar to the Asian Papaya salad- Som Tam. This beautiful mess is a fusion of some Chinese sauces, chilies, cherry tomatoes, fish sauce dressing, and peanuts.
2. The second recipe is an improvisation of dudhi Muthiya, substituted raw papaya for Bottlegourd.  Steamed it in a flat thali, later sautéed in a little oil. Made the perfect teatime snack with mint chutney. 

Crunchy and Tangy Raw Papaya Salad

Ingredients 

• 1 ½ cups grated raw papaya, 
• 1 grated carrot⁣
• 2 cloves garlic⁣
• 1 tbsp  red chili flakes
• 1 tsp powdered  jaggery
• 3 tbsp roasted peanuts⁣
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice⁣
• 1 tsp soya sauce
•  ½ cup cherry tomato halves or a small tomato cut into wedges
• Salt and pepper to taste
•  Coriander for garnish 

Method

⁣⁣1. Grate the raw papaya. Now soak it in ice water for 10-15 minutes until they are firmer.

2. Drain the soaked papaya well, and place it on a paper towel to absorb excess water. This is done so that excess water doesn’t dilute the dressing and taste. ⁣

3. In a large bowl pound up the garlic and chili flakes together, till it gets into a rough paste-like consistency. 

 ⁣4. Now add the jaggery powder and mash with the pestle until it turns into a wet paste and all the chunks are dissolved.⁣

5. Add the lime juice, soya sauce to make a marinade ⁣

6.  Stir with a large spoon to mix and dissolve the jaggery powder.

7. Pound the peanuts to break it up slightly. Keep aside to add to the salad later.

 8. Add shredded papaya and tomatoes to a bowl. Now mix in the marinate.

9. Add salt and pepper to taste.  and mix using the pound-and-flip method. Add salt as needed. 9. Add half the peanuts and mix well. 

⁣10. Now top it with Coriander leaves and sprinkle with the remaining peanuts.

11. Serve it as an entree or appetizer and see those happy faces. The flavours combined with crunchy peanuts is a gastronomical experience. ⁣⁣

Improvised Raw Papaya Steamed Muthiya –Teatime Snack

The second recipe of the Two Easy Grated Raw Papaya Recipes is this. This makes a super healthy and delicious snack/meal. Muthiya is a popular dish from the state of Gujarat. You can make muthiya in various ways with vegetables like squash, or spinach, and fenugreek leaves, or a mix of vegetables, mixed with flours and spices. The basic idea is to steam the mixture instead of deep-frying it like a fritter. This can be served just steamed with a side of peanut/ mint chutney on the side. I have even added these squares to boiling curd curry instead of Pakodas.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Wheat Flour
• 2/3 cup Gram flour (besan)
• 1 cup grated raw papaya
• 1 piece grated Ginger 
• 1 chopped green chilly
• 1 tbsp minced Garlic 
• 1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves 
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp Lemon juice Sugar and salt to taste

Tempering

• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 2 tsp Curry leaves

Method 

1. Mix the flours in a big bowl.
2. Now add the dry spices and mix well.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, oil, and grated raw papaya to this. Mix roughly with hand.
4. Add salt and sugar according to taste. 
5. Add water and make a paste like consistency. Don’t knead, mix all the ingredients lightly to just about bind them together with light hand.
6. Keep a steamer ready. Grease the steaming plate with oil.
7. Now add the paste to a steamed thali and place in steamer for 15 to 20 minutes. 
8. After 20 minutes, open the steamer and pierce a knife through the middle. If the knife comes out clean, then it is ready. Remove it from the heat and set aside to cool. Cut into small squares or diamond shape. 
9. For tempering, heat oil in a pan, add mustard and sesame seeds, let them crackle, add other ingredients like curry leaves, and hing. Now add the steamed slices and toss on both sides till brown and crispy. Serve hot with tea or as a side dish with your meal. 

Note 

If you don’t have a steamer, you can use a kadhai with a lid.

Place the thali over a stand in the kadhai over boiling water. 

Hope you liked my Two Easy Grated Raw Papaya Recipes? If you have any other easy recipes for me to try, do write me a note in the comments below.
You can also check the recipe for Spicy Mango Pickle