I have this obsession about not wasting food or perfectly edible odds and ends. I don’t know how it is at your house, but at mine, papayas seem to sit in the fridge till they rot. In the rare instance they’re found ripe enough to eat, they’re peeled, diced and eaten. Otherwise, we usually discover them when they’re in an advanced stage of decomposition or fermentation, depending on the weather.

Today, I found a papaya lying in the fridge and decided to try making soup out of it. Turned out to be quite simple in the end, despite the flavors not adding together in my head. Here’s what I did.

You’ll need:

• 1 Ripe mid size papaya
• Pickled Jalapenos
• 1 Onion, sliced fine
• 3 – 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 – 3 Mushrooms (I used left over stalks)
• Chili Powder/Paprika, Salt
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Soya Sauce
• 1 bouillon cube (veg)

Method:

1. Peel and dice papaya
2. Saute onions in a little oil till soft
3. Whiz papaya, garlic, mushrooms and jalapenos  (you will probably need to add water)
4. Add whizzed mixture to pan
5. Add a dash of soya and a splash of balsamic vinegar
6. Add the bouillon cube. If the mixture is very thick, dissolve it in some hot water separately, then add the water to the pan
7. Add chili/paprika and salt to taste.
8. Bring to the boil

Serve hot. It tasted quite nice, though judging by the reactions of those ate it, you either love it or hate it. Do try it at least once though. It’s quite a nice dish.

- Sid

PS: I made it quite thick. You could try adding some water and adjusting the seasoning accordingly.