A unique dish made from papaya shoots in the highlands.

(Baonghean.vn) - Papaya - a plant that not only provides refreshing fruit, but for the people of the highlands of Nghe An province, the shoots and flowers of this plant are also a favorite nutritious food.

Visiting the Thai ethnic villages in Tuong Duong and Ky Son districts and sampling the local specialties truly reveals the unique cultural aspects of the highland people's cuisine.

Male papaya trees are widely grown in home gardens by people in the highlands for use in cooking. Photo: Dao Tho

We arrived in Cay Me village (Thach Giam commune - Tuong Duong district) on a day in mid-March. Whether sunny or rainy, the villagers of Cay Me still sat along the roadside displaying their fresh, homegrown produce for sale. There were familiar foods like mac khen (a type of wild vegetable), hua xan (young shoots), eggplant, bamboo shoots… and even unusual items like cicadas and rats. But what surprised us most were the papaya shoots and flowers.

We asked Ms. La Thi Bon, who was sitting beside a pile of papayas, if the shoots and flowers of these male papayas were used for medicinal purposes. She smiled and said, "They're for eating, of course. It's a traditional dish of our Thai people." We were surprised; it turned out that even bitter leaves like these could be used as food.

The papaya shoots are boiled to reduce their bitterness. Photo: Dao Tho

That evening, she took us home and began preparing a dish of young papaya shoots and flowers to treat us. Running to the backyard, she picked a handful of tender, green papaya leaves and stems, along with a few budding flowers. "Only the young parts are used; the old ones are inedible," she explained.

Once everything was ready, her children washed, peeled, and cut the papayas into short pieces about 2-3 cm long. The papayas were then boiled thoroughly before being taken out. "Those who like bitterness can boil them briefly, otherwise boil them thoroughly. If you want to reduce the bitterness even more, add a handful of guava leaves or wild betel leaves while boiling," Mrs. Bon explained to the customers while preparing the dish.

Stir-fried male papaya shoots. Photo: Dao Tho

The pot of pickled papaya had just been taken out of the pot, and a bitter, pungent smell assaulted our noses, making us feel slightly uncomfortable. The host set it aside in two portions: one for dipping in shrimp paste, and the other for making chup (a Thai salad). This salad is elaborately prepared with ingredients like mac khen (a type of wild pepper), chili peppers, bamboo shoots, etc., all mixed together.

In Thai culinary competitions, papaya shoots are an indispensable dish. Photo: Dao Tho

The food was served, and at first, we were hesitant because of the bitter taste on our tongues, but this feeling was later replaced by enjoyment. “The shoots and flowers of the male papaya tree are often sold together with wild eggplant (which the Thai people call mac hanh) to make a salad, which is very good for digestion. It’s easy to find in Thai markets,” said Ms. Bon.

Dao Tho