PaPaw

Though the exact area of origin is unknown, the papaya is believed native to tropical America, perhaps in southern Mexico and neighbouring Central America. Generally, the fruit is melon-like, oval to nearly round,  or elongated club-shaped, 15-50 cm long and 10-20 cm thick. The skin is waxy and thin but fairly tough. When the fruit is green and hard it is rich in white latex. As it ripens, it becomes light- or deep-yellow externally and the thick wall of succulent flesh becomes aromatic, yellow, orange or various shades of salmon or red. It is then juicy, sweetish.

Preparation :

Ripe papayas are most commonly eaten fresh, merely peeled, seeded, cut in wedges and served with a half or quarter of lime or lemon. Sometimes a few seeds are left attached for those who enjoy their peppery flavor but not many should be eaten.

Unripe papaya raw green papaya is frequently used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Even for use in salads, it must first be peeled, seeded, and boiled until tender, then chilled because of it’s latex content.

The custard apple is believed to be a native of the West Indies but it was carried in early times through Central America to southern Mexico. It has long been cultivated and naturalized as far south as Peru and Brazil. In Cuba, it is mamon or chirimoya. Some Central Americans give it the name anona, or anonillo. It is commonly grown in the warmer the tropical / subtropical climates of Australia.

The two main varieties grown are:

Pinks Mammoth :- Which is more heart shaped and is sweet and creamy.

African Pride :- This has less carpuls (i.e. pumps on the skin)  and typical has more seeds than the Pinks Mammoth.

Preparation:

The fruit is typically eaten out the hand and when fully ripe it is soft to the touch and the stem and attached core can be easily pulled out. The flesh may be scooped from the skin and eaten as is or served with light cream and a sprinkling of sugar. Often it is pressed through a sieve and added to milk shakes, custards or ice cream. I have made a delicious sauce for cake and puddings by blending the seeded flesh with mashed banana and a little cream.

Carambola (also known as Star Fruit) when cut in cross-section has the form of a star. It is oblong with 5- to 6-angled fruits, 6 – 15 cm long and up to 9 cm wide. It has a thin, waxy, orange-yellow skin and juicy, crisp, yellow flesh when fully ripe. The fruit can also be deep green and ripe.

Preparation:

Ripe carambolas are eaten out-of-hand, sliced and served in salads, or used as garnish on avocado or seafood. They are also cooked in puddings, tarts, stews and curries. In Malaya, they are often stewed with sugar and cloves, alone or combined with apples. The Chinese cook carambolas with fish. Thais boil the sliced green fruit with shrimp. Slightly underripe fruits are salted, pickled or made into jam or other preserves.