Skybury Sweet Red Papaya
Carica Papaya belongs to the family Caricaceae and is native to the tropics of the Americas. The papaya tree is actually a large herb, growing at the rate of 2 metres in the first year and reaching 6 to 9 metres in height.
At Skybury we grow a sweet aromatic red and a firm fleshed red variety of papaya which is ideally suited to the climate of the Tropical Tablelands.
Skybury was the first commercial plantation to introduce the larger red varieties to the Australian market and we are the largest producer today, picking over 2 million pieces of fruit per annum.
We pick our fruit from the trees when they first show colour, this ensures maximum natural sweetness and taste. We pride ourselves in having the most delicious tasting papaya.
Not only does our papaya taste good, it is also very nutritious with more vitamins and minerals than most multivitamin tablets. It has more vitamin C than an orange and more potassium than a banana; it’s good for young and old, sporting people and anyone looking for a balanced meal during the day
Our Papaya Varieties
The two varieties of Papaya we grow at Skybury are similar in shape and size and are differentiated by the colour of the label. The red label indicates the sweet aromatic variety and the purple label indicates that the fruit is sweet and has a firm flesh. Within each variety there are long and round fruit. The long fruit and the round fruit for each variety taste the same.
Red Label Papaya
This papaya has a very sweet (considerably more than other papaya brands) aromatic flesh and slightly perfumed taste.
- Good size to weight ratio with a medium/small seed cavity.
- Look for sugar spots on the skin (brown freckles) as this is a good indication of sweetness.
- Eat between ¾ and full colour and before it gives easily to pressure.
- Shelf life is increased by keeping in the fridge (12°C) however it has limited storage qualities and should be eaten when ready
Eat this papaya with a dash of lemon or lime juice, scoop out with a spoon or fill the cavity with ice cream for a great dessert. See recipe for Papaya Smoothie and Crème de Papaya pudding.
Blue Label Papaya
This papaya is sweet (more than other market brands), tastes like papaya and has a melon-like texture, firm and juicy.
- Very heavy for size, with a small seed cavity.
- Look for sugar spots on the skin (brown freckles), especially in winter as this is a sign of sweetness.
- Eat when fully coloured and flesh gives under pressure.
- Shelf life is increased by keeping in the fridge (12°C). Excellent storage qualities and can be stored either whole, cut or sliced in the fridge for a considerable period of time.
Eat this papaya in fruit salads, sliced in lunch boxes or served with other fruit on a fruit platter. Also excellent when making a green salad (prepare before fully ripe and very firm to pressure) and papaya salsa. See recipe.
When not eating papaya in a fruit salad, our favorite way to eat papaya is as a pudding (crème de papaya).
If you wish to purchase Skybury Papaya, ask you grocer or supermarket to source our papaya from the central markets in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide. Remember, ask for the Skybury brand!
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Papaya Recipes
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Papaya Smoothie
Excellent taste and texture, healthy too.
Mix equal quantities of red papaya and vanilla ice cream in a blender and blend until smooth.
Add a small quantity of milk until desired texture is reached for drinking. Drink within 30 minutes.
Crème de Papaya
The world's most popular pudding.
Blend equal quantities of vanilla ice cream, ripe papaya, a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk and a sprig of mint thoroughly. For adults, drizzle with a teaspoon of Crème de Cassis.
Eat within 30 minutes.
Papaya Scones
Tasty and stays fresh for longer.
- 3 cups of self raising flour
- 1 cup very ripe papaya
- ½ cup of sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- Milk
- Pinch of salt
Rub butter into flour and add a pinch of salt. Mix papaya and sugar in another bowl then add well beaten egg. Pour papaya mixture into flour and add sufficient milk to make a soft dough. Mix lightly and turn onto floured board and cut into scone shapes. Bake in a hot oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
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Green Papaya Salad With Nam-Jim Dressing
Serves 6-8
- 1 small green (firm) papaya
- 15-20 sprigs coriander
- ¼ cup of lime juice
- 1 cup castor sugar
- ¼ cup of white vinegar
- 3 cloves of garlic
- ¼ cup of fish sauce
- 75 gram unsalted roast peanuts
- 2 large chillies (de-seeded)
Make Nam-Jim dressing in a blender. Combine lime juice, sugar, vinegar, garlic, fish sauce, peanuts and chilli. Blend until everything is very fine and sugar has dissolved. Store in fridge.
Peel and de-seed the papaya, finely grate and mix in the coriander, lightly dress with Nam-Jim dressing and serve straight away with scallops, prawns or fish.
Red Papaya Salsa
Serves 4-6. Great served with seafood.
- 1 small red papaya
- ½ green capsicum
- ½ red capsicum
- ½ medium red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 100mls of olive oil
Peel and de-seed papaya, then finely dice capsicums, red onion and papaya. Place in a bowl with finely chopped dill and add olive oil. Gently mix together and allow to sit for 30minutes before serving.
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Nutritional Information
Per 100g (3.5oz) Serve Of Sweet Red Papaya
| % Of Daily Requirement
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Energy
| 40 kcal (160 kJ)
| -
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Carbohydrates - Sugars
| 5.90 g
| -
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Dietary Fibre
| 1.8 g
| -
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Fat
| 0.14 g
| -
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Protein
| 0.61 g
| -
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Vitamin A (equiv.)
| 55 µg
| 6%
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Beta-Carotene
| 276 µg
| 3%
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Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
| 0.04 mg
| 3%
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Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
| 0.05 mg
| 3%
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Niacin (Vitamin B3)
| 0.338 mg
| 2%
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Vitamin B6
| 0.1 mg
| 8%
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Vitamin C
| 61.8 mg
| 103%
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Calcium
| 24 mg
| 2%
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Iron
| 0.10 mg
| 1%
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Magnesium
| 10 mg
| 3%
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Phosphorus
| 5 mg
| 1%
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Potassium
| 257 mg
| 5%
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Sodium
| 3 mg
| -
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