Yellow Papaya

Papaya sent at the yellow stage, when the flesh has gone soft and orange and the sweetness has come up. Green papaya is a different ingredient entirely — this one is fruit.

Cold with a squeeze of lime is the standard, and the lime is not optional for most people: it cuts the muskiness that puts some off papaya altogether. It also blends into a very smooth juice, and cubes into a fruit salad where it is the softest thing on the plate.

Choose fruit that is mostly yellow with a little green at the stem, gives to gentle pressure, and has no dark sunken patches. A fully green papaya will ripen at home but takes the better part of a week.

Counter if there is still green on the skin, fridge once it is fully yellow and yielding.

Cut papaya must be covered — the smell travels. Two to three days once cut, four to five days whole and refrigerated.