Pawpaw is a delicious breakfast fruit. It originated in tropical America
and, due to its versatility, spread as far as the tropical isles
of the Pacific. Pawpaw is also known as papaya, lesi, esi, maoli, olesi, popo,
mummy apple and by many other names
. Pawpaws are abundant throughout the Pacific, even in some atolls.
They come in various sizes and shapes and colours.
There are generally three types of pawpaw trees: the female, which can bear
fruits provided the pollen comes from the male tree nearby; the male pawpaw
tree, which has flowers on long stalks and generally does not bear fruit
but provides the pollen for the female; and the hermaphrodite tree, which
has both male and female flowers and can bear fruit on its own. In recent
years new varieties have been introduced from Hawaii. These produce fruits
of uniform size, texture and flavour.
Pawpaw can be grown in backyard food gardens from seeds or from
seedlings distributed by agricultural extension officers. The pawpaw tree
takes a year to start bearing fruit. The fruit normally turns from dark green
to yellow/orange/pink when ripe .
Fruits are available throughout the year but are more abundant in the hot
summer months. In the markets they are sold by weight, individually or in baskets.
Selection
Ripe fruits are soft and easily bruised. It is best to select pawpaw fruits that
are firm and yellow-green and then ripen them at home. Choose fruits of uniform
size suitable for serving in halves or quarters. The Hawaiian variety,
Sunrise, is small and pear-shaped with pinkish flesh. For cooking with fish and
for chutneys, mature fruits with or without hints of yellow streaks are best.
Storage
The fruit has a very short life. Yellow-green fruits ripen in one to two days
at room temperature. Ripe fruit will last in good condition for three to four
days if stored at 5–7°C . They should be arranged in a
single row on a rack. For longer storage, puree the flesh of the fruit or cut
into cubes and freeze. Frozen fruits will become very soft.
Preparation
To serve as raw fruit, wash well, cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Season
with lemon juice and serve. Alternatively, score the flesh into cubes with the
tip of a sharp knife, without cutting the skin, and scoop out the flesh. Firm,
ripe pawpaw can also be cut into fruit balls.
To peel green, under-mature or half-ripe pawpaw, cut off the stalk end, stand
upright and peel downwards, using a sharp knife. Cut in half and remove
pith and seeds. Cut the flesh into strips or cubes or grate coarsely into fine
strips for salad. When peeling green pawpaw, care must be taken, because
the sap can cause itchiness to the skin.
Food value
Pawpaw is an excellent source of Vitamin C.
It is also a good source of Vitamin A (betacarotene)
and dietary fibre and contains small
amounts of minerals and vitamins. A 100 g
portion of pawpaw contains 73 mg of
Vitamin C and 207 kJ or 50 kcal
.
Use
The ripe fruit is best eaten raw as fruit for breakfast or as a snack. It is a tasty
and colourful addition to fruit salads. It can be made into drinks, sorbets,
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