Temperatures of 20-30 degrees celsius. Single monsoon season lasting four months from June to September. Rainfall amount 700 mm/year. Basaltic soil (black cotton soil).
We cannot stop them from growing! Once upon a time, we bought a papaya at the market and threw the peel and seeds in the garden's compost pit. Multiple trees grew at that site. And this has continued through the years. You can eat the ripe fruit or make raw papaya salad or use the peel for tenderising meat.
It takes about 15 months for the first fruit. Each tree fruits for 3-4 years. It can be planted anytime of the year and gives fruit around the year aside from the peak monsoon period. The tree requires sunlight and doesn't grow in the shade of buildings and other trees. Trees can be male or female and require cross pollination by butterflies and bees. Some trees can be hermaphroditic. It is diffuclt to count the cost of the total harvest. We get 4 papayas worth Rs. 200/- once a month.
We have not treated the papaya trees.
It is a fast growing tree with a short life cycle and abundant fruit requiring little to no maintenance. Bees and butterflies feed on the nectar. Birds, bats and other small mammals will happily eat the sweet fruit.
Very high in nutrition! Rich in vitamins, iron, calcium and fibre.
There is no need to store the fruit or the seed since they are available all year around. Seeds lose their viability quickly on storage.
Som Tum (vegetarian Thai papaya salad)
Mix peeled, deseeded and grated green papaya + grated carrots + thinly sliced cabbage + soy sauce + grated garlic + finely chopped Thai chillies + lime or lemon juice + sugar + salt. Mix firmly with fingers or grind coarsly in a rock mortar with a wooden pestle if you have one handy. Once happy with the flavour balance, add roasted peanuts and serve.
Hyderabadi kacchi ghosht ki biryani
Marinate 1 kg of small mutton pieces with 4 tablespoons of raw papaya peel + salt paste (papain concentrated in raw papaya skin is a natral meat tenderiser) + yoghurt + ginger garlic paste + lemon juice + biryani masala powder for 3 hours. Use your hands to really push the flavour into the meat. Fry 2 big finely chopped or ground onion in ghee till brown and caramelised + add the marinated mixture and stir. Do not stir beyond this point as the meat should stay at the bottom with the rice in a layer above it. Add the basmati rice + water + a fistful of corriander and mint leaves + whole slit chillies + salt. Cover and cook - without mixing to maintain the layers - till the rice is fluffy. Serve with raita.