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Mamón en almíbar
Candied green papaya
Mamón en almíbar: Corrientes and Formosa green papaya strips slowly candied in a clove-scented syrup
Along the subtropical northeast, papaya (mamón) trees grow in backyards from Corrientes to Formosa, and the unripe fruit is turned into this old-fashioned dessert: strips of firm green papaya poached slowly in syrup with cloves and cinnamon until they turn amber and translucent, chewy at the edges and tender inside. It is served cold in little bowls, traditionally next to a slice of fresh cheese for that sweet-and-salty contrast (choose a plant-based cheese to keep it vegan). Rushing the syrup is the misstep that turns the papaya hard and sugary on the outside and raw within, so the heat stays low for well over an hour. Green papaya is sold in Asian and Latin grocers. Wear gloves when peeling; the milky sap can irritate the skin. Chef's tip: soak the strips in water with a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda for an hour before cooking; it firms the outside so the pieces hold their shape in the syrup.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 2 ⅝ lb green (unripe) papayaabout 1 large
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 ⅓ lb sugar
- 3 ¼ cups water
- 6 cloves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wearing gloves, peel 2 ⅝ lb green (unripe) papaya, halve it, scoop out the seeds and cut into strips about 1 cm wide and 6 cm long.
Step 2: Put the strips in a bowl of cold water with 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and leave to soak; then rinse well under the cold tap.
60 minStep 3: Bring 1 ⅓ lb sugar, 3 ¼ cups water, 6 cloves and 1 cinnamon stick to the boil in a wide pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
5 minStep 4: Add the papaya, turn the heat to low and simmer very gently, uncovered, turning the strips now and then, until they are translucent and amber and the syrup has thickened to a light honey.
90 minStep 5: Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice, take off the heat and cool in the syrup.
Step 6: Serve chilled. Keeps for 2 weeks in a clean, covered jar in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 75 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mamón en almíbar take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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