Papaya a la Mexicana with avocados

This fruity papaya salad is not only refreshing and delicious but also very healthy thanks to the combination of essential fatty acids and vitamins it contains.

Servings: The original recipe is intended for 2 servings but since 500 grams of papaya and 1 avocado are a lot for one person, we have set this dish for 3 servings. If you would like to serve it as a side or a snack, then the recipe as is should make enough for 6 to 8 servings.

Avocados and fat content: Avocados are healthy but also rich in fat. They contain large amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids, which explains why this dish has a relatively high fat content.

We don’t consider soy sauce to be raw. Soybeans are generally heated during the production process since green beans of all types contain the glycoprotein phasin, which is toxic for humans. Phasin inhibits the absorption of nutrients in the intestine, causes hemagglutination (clumping of the red blood cells), and in larger amounts can destroy the intestinal villi. Heating processes (e.g., cooking and roasting) destroy phasin and make soybeans and soybean products such as tofu, miso, and tempeh edible for humans. As a result, even unpasteurized soy products are not actually raw, but are instead cooked products that have been “revived” through the process of fermentation.

This information should help you understand why we label this recipe as vegan cooked food even though it is listed as raw food in the cookbook it comes from.

Papaya: A papaya contains up to 85% water and is therefore very low in calories. Papayas are known for their enzymes that degrade proteins, most notably papain. Papain is thought to promote digestion and act a bit like a laxative.
As a result, it is often an ingredient in medicinal products used to treat digestive problems connected to a reduced ability to digest protein. In contrast to pepsin, which needs to be in the acidic environment of the stomach to be activated, papain is also active in alkaline environments. As a result, papaya seeds can be ground and used to tenderize meat. In addition, papaya contains high amounts of vitamin C. According to the European RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), 100 g covers ¾ of the vitamin C requirement, whereby individual needs should be taken into consideration.

Tip from the author on preparing avocados: “It is easier to peel an avocado if you first cut it in half lengthwise. Then remove the pit and cut both halves in half again. Now you can easily peel the skin off of each piece.”

Preventing avocados from turning brown: When avocados are cut open, the cell walls at the cut are broken, which initiates the oxidation process. The avocado then turns brown if nothing is done to prevent this natural process. To keep this from happening, you can drizzle lemon or lime juice on the avocados, which also tastes good in the salad.

Storing avocados: Avocados are harvested before they are ripe. They ripen best if you place them next to apples (or put them together in a paper bag) and store at room temperature. The apples release ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process.

Spiciness: If you like spicy dishes, you can add chopped chili peppers and black pepper. Cilantro is a perfect finishing touch for this dish.