Dulce de mamón

Ingredients

Papaya

• 1.5 kggreen papaya, mamón
• peeled, seeded and cut in chunks
• 2 tablespoonsslaked lime, cal
• or 2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda
• 2 litreswater, for soaking

Syrup

• 1 kgsugar
• 1 litrewater
• 8whole cloves
• 2cinnamon sticks
• the peel of 1 lemon

To serve

• queso Paraguay, fresh cheese
• or a mild fresh cheese
• small dishes

Directions

1. Add it to water rather than water to it. Rinse the fruit thoroughly afterwards. Preparing the papaya takes some work. Peel the green papaya thickly. Cut it in half and scrape out the seeds. Green papaya seeds are white and soft.
2. Cut the flesh into thick chunks or strips. Keep the pieces reasonably large. Let any sediment settle to the bottom. Pour the clear liquid off into a bowl. Add all the papaya pieces to it.
3. Leave them to soak for about four hours. Drain the papaya very thoroughly. Rinse it in several changes of clean water. Keep rinsing until no slipperiness remains. Rinse it more than you think necessary.
4. Boil the rinsed papaya in fresh water. Give it about ten full minutes. Drain it and discard that water. Put the sugar and water in a large pot. Add the cloves, cinnamon and lemon peel. Heat it gently until the sugar dissolves.
5. Stir it well as it heats through. Add the blanched papaya to the syrup. Bring it back to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about ninety minutes.
6. Keep the heat low all the way through. Never let it boil hard at any point. Turn them gently once or twice. Judging when it is done takes a look. Take the pot off the heat entirely. Let the papaya cool in its syrup. Do not lift the pieces out while hot. Spoon the pieces into clean jars. Pour the syrup over to cover them.
7. Seal the jars once they are cold. It keeps three months in a cool place. Set two or three pieces in a small dish. Spoon plenty of syrup over them. Cut a thick slice of fresh cheese alongside. Take cheese and fruit together in each mouthful.

Technique

• Mamon means papaya in Paraguay, but the word means a genip in parts of Central America and a sponge cake in the Philippines, so it travels badly between countries.
• The papaya is soaked in slaked lime water first because the calcium firms the pectin, which is what keeps the pieces whole through ninety minutes of cooking.
• Slaked lime is caustic, so it needs gloves and thorough rinsing afterwards, and bicarbonate of soda is a milder if less effective substitute.

Substitutions

• Bicarbonate of soda firms the fruit less than slaked lime but is safer to handle.
• Any mild fresh salty cheese stands in for queso Paraguay.

Variations

• The same method is used for guava, squash and orange peel in Paraguay.
• Some cooks score the pieces decoratively before cooking.
• Dulce de guayaba and dulce de leche are served the same way with cheese.

History

Green papaya cooked in clove-scented syrup, kept in jars and served with fresh cheese.

Frequently asked questions

What is Dulce de mamón?

Dulce de mamón is a dessert from Paraguay: papaya candied in caramel syrup, served with Paraguay cheese. Green papaya cooked in clove-scented syrup, kept in jars and served with fresh cheese.

How long does Dulce de mamón take to make?

Dulce de mamón takes 30 minutes plus soaking of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes about 1 kg. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Dulce de mamón?

Yes, within limits. Bicarbonate of soda firms the fruit less than slaked lime but is safer to handle. Any mild fresh salty cheese stands in for queso Paraguay.

What is the most important thing to get right in Dulce de mamón?

Add it to water rather than water to it. Rinse the fruit thoroughly afterwards. Preparing the papaya takes some work. Peel the green papaya thickly. Cut it in half and scrape out the seeds. Green papaya seeds are white and soft.