Video:Cut and Prepare Papaya

Transcript:Cut and Prepare Papaya

Hi, I'm Rachel Edelman for About.com Food.

Today I'm going to show you how to cut and prepare a papaya.

Choosing a Papaya

Papayas are ripe when they are mostly yellow and will give slightly when pressed gently. They should not be too soft or mushy by the stem. Look for clean smooth skin, and there should be no smell.

Removing Papaya Seeds

First wash the papaya. Then cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. You can spoon them out or hold the papaya in one hand and slide the seeds out with the spoon.

You can discard the seeds, or save them to use in a salad dressing or for garnish.

Scooped Papaya Pieces

At this point, you could scoop out the papaya with a spoon and eat it right away. Or you could use a melon baler to remove the fruit and put it on a plate.

Papaya Peeling

For slices, you should remove the skin. Turn the papaya on its side and just peel the skin down with a paring knife. You can also cut off the ends, stand up the papaya, and slice downward. Go back and remove any spots you missed.

Papaya Slices

Once the skin is removed, you can cut slices or thick wedges. For chunks, cut the thick wedges into smaller pieces.

An excellent source of Vitamin C, papayas can be eaten at any time of day.

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