Fruit salads can be reminiscent of two things for me - the first being those warm, acrid plastic pottles perched on gas-station shelves, or nestled in sticky lunchboxes, and the second being glorious shrines of tropical goodness from exotic, faraway lands. These papaya boats, clearly, aim to be the latter. Gorgeously golden and gooey orange papaya halves overflowing with little fruit jewels and blooming flowers - is there any better way to instantly transport yourself to paradise?
Please do keep in mind that this recipe is by no means a 'be-all and end-all' of papaya-boat making - you are certainly allowed (and encouraged!) to go off the beaten track and experiment with your own favourite fruits and flavours. I would highly recommend filling them with banana icecream then topping with fruit - unfortunately I couldn't demonstrate this due to the absence of a food-processor with sufficient power in my new flat. Coconut yoghurt would also work a treat - go crazy!
INGREDIENTS
1 small papaya
1 golden kiwifruit
1 green kiwifruit
1 banana
1 grapefruit
1 mandarin
A handful of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
Edible flowers, for garnishing
METHOD
- Slice your papaya in half with a sharp knife and scoop out the small black seeds with a tablespoon. Using a small knife, make little jagged incisions right the way around the kiwifruit, then pull apart to create a star shape as shown above. Repeat with the banana if so desired.
- Peel your grapefruit, then segment it, making sure to get as little pith as possible as it is super bitter. Slice the mandarin into little discs.
- Arrange your papaya boat however you wish - I filled mine with the grapefruit, then berries, followed by the banana, then garnished with edible flowers and mandarin discs and surrounded by kiwifruit stars. Feel free to improvise - get creative! Best eaten cold and immediately for optimum prettiness.