Raw Papaya Stir Fry

Your diet is a bank account. Good food choices are good investments.
Bethenny Frankel

 

This is the only form of papaya that appeals to me. I stay away as far as possible from the fruit. 

I am friends with raw papaya though. I cook raw papaya in other forms too, but this one is a favorite. 

Back in Kerala, most of the vegetables for the day is usually sourced from backyard. Plantains and Papayas are readily available and so is coconut. And ask any Malayalee, if you have coconut available, then there is nothing to worry about. 

 Ingredients :

Raw Papaya - 1 - Small
Onion - 1 - finely chopped
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 spring
Coconut Oil - 1 tbsp

To Grind

Green Chilli - 1-2 ( Adjust according to your spice levels )
Coconut - 1/2 cup - tightly packed
Small Onions / Shallots - 4-5
Jeera / Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2 pods
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Grind the above into a semi-fine paste and keep aside.

Method :

1. Remove the skin of the raw papaya. Cut into half and remove the seeds.
2. Grate the papaya using a grater. Keep aside.
3. In a deep pan, heat coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
4. To this, add the chopped onion. Saute till the onions sweat.
5. Add the grated papaya and salt. Saute well for a minute or two on medium flame.
6. Now gather the contents in the pan to the center and form a mound.
7. Cook covered on simmer for 6-8 minutes.
8. Open the lid, form a crater in the middle of the mound and add the ground paste.
9. Cook covered again on simmer for approx. another 7 minutes till the raw smell of the ground mixture disappears.
10. Break the mound and give the contents a stir. Ensure the ground mix and the papaya are mixed well.
11. Spread it all over the pan, and cook on high flame for a minute or two. Ensure you are around when the high flame cooking happens. 
12. Serve hot with rice.