Semi-ripe Papaya Jam- Konfitir Papay Zonn

This Semi-ripe Papaya Jam- Konfitir Papay Zonn– is a slightly crunchy and nutty jam which is made with coarsely grated semi-ripe papaya that is cooked in caramelised brown sugar and flavoured with nutmeg and vanilla.  One of my favorite tropical jams.

This papaya jam, also known as pawpaw jam, is delicious and complex, and has a strong caramel flavour. It is beautifully honeyed and golden when spread on freshly baked bread , toast or gros biskwi.

This typical Seychellois jam is syrupy and has no added pectin but relies on its own pectin found in the layer immediately under the skin of the papaya. Pectin, a water-soluble fiber, occurs naturally in most fruits, with the highest concentration in the peel or skin; it makes jams set and gives them their spreadable consistency.

What sugar to use?

In the early days of settlement the only sugar we had on the islands was brown sugar and although we now have a variety of sugar , brown sugar is still very popular and I have developed a taste for it.  I like the warm, toasty and intense flavour and darker finish of the sugar resulting from some of the naturally occurring molasses that are still present in the sugar. You may decide to use white sugar , the end result is almost the same except that you  will end up with a darker caramelised jam.  Please note that sometimes brown sugar is also labelled as raw sugar. This is just a marketing ploy because raw sugar in its natural state is not recommended for consumption because it is still full of impurities.

Caramelising the sugar

The recipe for the papaya jam requires the sugar to be caramelised. There are basically two classic methods of caramelising sugar: the wet and  the dry.

The wet method involves moistening or dissolving your sugar in water and boiling it. The water dissolves the sugar and distributes the sugar to promote even browning. It’s a longer process as it slows down the caramelisation process and makes it more difficult to burn the sugar.

On the other hand, we have, for this recipe, used the dry method whereby there is no water added and the sugar is melted by the heat only. It is a quick process, meaning it can burn quickly if not attended to properly. The best part about this process is that you don’t need anything else but sugar. You add your desired amount of sugar in a saucepan and start to heat it on a medium flame. As you heat the sugar, it tends to release its moisture and starts caramelising.

Please note that the brown sugar tends to caramelise quicker than white sugar and can also burn quicker. It also has a tendency to melt unevenly and may clump more easily than white sugar. Therefore make sure you stir well, so that sugar caramelises evenly. Don’t focus on the lumps; stirring will eventually help them caramelise well. Carefully observe the changing colour and stop when your desired colour is reached.

How do I know if you papaya is semi-ripe?

There are a few tricks that will help you to know if your papaya is semi-ripe and these include:

You have to look at the skin of the papaya. If it is green then the papaya has not started to ripen. If it is starting to turn orange or yellow, as shown in the photo,  and is still firm to the touch then you have a semi-ripe papaya. If the colour of the skin is orange or yellow in its entirety and the smell is fruity and when you press your finger gently near the base of the papaya your finger goes in slightly, then the papaya is ripe.

You can still make jam from ripe papaya, but you will not end up with the crunchiness of the semi-ripe one as required in this recipe

Preparing the jam

Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds, and keep or, alternatively, use half a teaspoon of vanilla essence.

Preparing the papaya

Wash the papaya, and peel with a knife or a potato peeler. Cut the papaya vertically into six segments or more depending on the size of the fruit.

Use a spoon and remove all the seeds and strings and wash again, then pat dry.

Grate the papaya one segment at a time using the box grater. For this recipe we require coarsely grated papaya.  This process may also be termed shredding and the procedure is as follows:

Place a flat tray on a cloth on a bench. The cloth will stop the tray from sliding during the grating process. Place your box grater on the tray and using your non-dominant hand, grab onto the top handle of the box grater and hold it tightly. Hold the pieces of the papaya with your dominant hand and carefully move it back and forth against the larger holes or grating slots of the grater. As you grate, keep the grater pressed tightly against the tray.

Cooking the jam

Place the sugar into a large pot set over medium heat. Leave the sugar alone until you see it begin to melt. Using a heavy duty wooden spoon or heat-safe rubber spatula, scrape the sugar from the edge of the pan to the middle.  You’re doing this for a couple of reasons — first, you want to keep the melted sugar from browning too fast and burning.  Second, you’re moving the unmelted sugar to the hotter spots on the pan to begin melting.

The sugar may clump

You may experience some clumping of unmelted and melted sugar.  Don’t worry; keep cooking the sugar over medium heat and those clumps will melt right out. Once the sugar begins to caramelize, add grated papaya , nutmeg and finely chopped or finely grated orange rind and mix well. The sugar will solidify after adding the papaya, but don’t worry, the sugar will re-melt.

Keep cooking the mixture over low heat, for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally until the sugar re-melts. Then add the scraped vanilla seeds and stir well. Remove from heat when all moisture has evaporated and the jam has a syrup consistency.

Preserving and storing the papaya jam

The jam will last a long time if you transfer it in a sterilised jar. When  you sterilised the jar do not forget to sterilise the lid as well.  Sterilizing will get rid of any germs that could in the long term negatively affect the quality of your jam. Always store your jam in the fridge once opened.

Health benefits of Papaya

Papaya is loaded with most amazing micro-nutrients and minerals which are essential for your body. This tropical fruit is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K, and also has minerals like potassium and magnesium.

Here is the recipe for Semi-ripe Papaya Jam- Konfitir Papay Zonn

Did you make this recipe?

I hope you will enjoy cooking this dish. Please let me know how it turned out for you. If you have a different version of the recipe or have related questions, please leave your comments below.

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