Tropical Cooking with Travel Man: 5th Main Dish - Papaya in Coconut Milk

It's raining outside; I mean, continuously, due to the tropical storm Falcon. Then, I heard a crack sound from our backyard. And lo! My one-year old papaya just fell down due to the gusty wind, with all the fruits fell in all direction. I had to retrieve some and use it as my main dish this rainy lunch, Papaya in Coconut Milk. Gravity helped me to record another authentic tropical cooking here on HubPages.

Allow me to take you to another journey on my humble kitchen and spice up your lunch with my main dish that is truly tropical.

We used to sing a nursery song regarding Papaya (Carica papaya)when I was in elementary grades. However, some fathers believed that ripe ones can affect their sexual prowess once they eat it as dessert. Whether it's a fact or myth, one thing is sure regarding this tropical plant.

Papaya is rich in papain, that is also used as:

1. meat tenderizer in South America by natives centuries ago.
2. immediate first aid for stings and bites.
3. as teeth whitener.
4. enzyme stabilizer.

Some precautions are being warned by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because papain can interfere with urine drug test for marijuana users. So, the inclusion of this protein secretions (lysosomal) in all topical drugs or supplements should be verified by FDA.

It's not as simple as we think when we talk about papaya. Based from my research in Wikipedia, there's some serious concern about those people who are illegally incorporating it to unapproved topical drugs that can give adverse reactions like, hypertension, increase heart rate, sudden drop of blood pressure or permanent loss of vision.

Ingredients:

>3 to four pieces medium-sized green papaya, clean and cut into strips

>coconut milk, with first concoction (for final dilution) and second (for cooking the papaya)

>spices (garlic, onion, pepper, ginger)

>salt to taste

>Additional/Optional extenders: strips of smoked fish (tinapa) or fresh water clam meat

PROCEDURE:

1. Peel and clean the selected green papaya with its seeds. Cut into thin strips. Let it stand in water to remove excess papain.
2. With the coconut milk (2nd concoction) ready with the spices on it. Let it boil, then put the papaya thin strips. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes until tender.
3. Add additional extenders (smoked fish strips or meat of fresh water clams) and the 1st coconut milk concoction.
4. Salt to taste. Serves 4-6 family members or friends.

Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes in medium fire in gas stove

There's a Filipino hospitality that you can share some of your viand to your neighbor. They'll do it, likewise, in due time.

It seems that more and more online writers are clinging into one of the basic favorites of man in order to survive, FOOD, lots of foods. I've also read Food Hubs and Hub-Blogs from fellow hubbers that contribute new information and cooking technique about different World Cuisines.

Just last year, the whole HubPages community indulged a lot on food hubs through the Hubbalicious Food Contest that saw gastronomic recipes being published all over the world.

As for me, I am copyrighting my food recipes, through this Tropical Cooking series. I'm already on my fifth installment. I hope that you'll try cooking it or enjoy commenting about my little discoveries and fusion cooking that I am enjoying while concentrating in culinary arts.

I've done: Laing (dried taro leaves) in coconut milk, Fish in vinegar, Stewed Chicken, Buko Pancit and this latest, Papaya in coconut milk.

I'll be leaving you a dance to enjoy while cooking this recipe. If you know about the Papaya dance, this is it. They say, it's a Polish song but Filipinos made a great deal popularizing its dance steps. Shows in the US followed, especially the host Ellen DeGeneres.

Enjoy cooking and dancing, as well!!!