Summer Caribbean Red Spring Rolls

I’m new to the rice wrapper; I was somewhat intimidated, but no more. It’s a great way to ‘wrap’ things, particularly delicious things up.

Ingredients

1 cup Caribbean Red papaya (approximately 50% color with the fruit giving to a gentle squeeze.)

1 cup cucumber

½ cup baby carrots

1 tsp basil or mint

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp ginger

1 tbs rice vinegar

½ tsp bird's eye chili or other dried pepper

6 long strands of chive (optional)

6 rice wrappers

Directions

·      Thinly chop papaya, cucumber and carrots. You’ll want to chop pieces so none is larger than ½” on any dimension.

·      Finely chop fresh basil or fresh mint and combine with the produce in a large bowl.

·      In a medium bowl, combine fish sauce, grated ginger, rice vinegar and finely diced dried bird chili pepper.  

·      Moisten rice wrappers until pliable. Add filling, drizzle with sauce and roll up. Tie with strands of chive. 

·      Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.

           

Serves 4

Prep time: 30 minutes


For information about chilies and peppers used in Sweet Heat recipes

Curried Chicken & Caribbean Red Papaya Salad

After years of lifelessly boring deli chicken salad, it’s time to take this salad on a different direction. The change agent being sriracha, a Thai hot sauce typically seasoned with garlic, vinegar, sugar and spices. No one will ever again say chicken salad is boring.


Ingredients

2 tbs mayonnaise

2 tbs plain greek yogurt

1 tsp lime juice

½ tsp curry powder

salt and pepper to taste

½ tsp Sriracha

1 cup shredded or cubed cooked chicken

1 cup Caribbean Red papaya (approximately 50% color with the fruit giving to a gentle squeeze.)

2 cups your choice lettuce

Directions

·      Mix together mayonaise, plain greek yogurt, lime juice, curry powder, salt, pepper and Sriracha.

·      Combine this dressing with leftover shredded or cubed cooked chicken and semi-ripe papaya chunks. Serve on a bed of greens.

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes

For information about chilies and peppers used in Sweet Heat recipes

Chilled Caribbean Red Papaya-Watermelon Soup

Combining my two favorite summer fruits is a no-brainer; it’s the addition of habanero pepper that defines the genius behind ‘sweet-heat’. Whatever the stove’s heat could’ve added to the taste is instead sublimely provided by the habanero pepper’s flavor acting as a catalyst in the midst of summer’s fruit.

 

Ingredients

1 cup Caribbean Red papaya, diced

1 cup watermelon, diced

½ cup coconut water

2 tbs lime juice

dash of salt

½ tsp cilantro

½ tsp finely diced habanero pepper (optional – for sweet-heat!)

Directions

·      In a blender or food processor, combine papaya, watermelon, coconut water, lime juice, salt and cilantro.

·      For a sweet-heat addition, process in finely diced fresh habanero pepper.

·      Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with cilantro.

Serves: 2

Prep time: 15 minutes


For information about chilies and peppers used in Sweet Heat recipes

Frozen Caribbean Red Papaya Coconut-Rum Cocktail

Adding Caribbean Red papaya to your choice of coconut milk* or rum makes the summer’s heat is not that bad. But adding a hot chili pepper to take the edge off the sweltering temperature is mind-boggling. After the first sip, it all makes sense. Now that’s sweet heat!

Ingredients

½ cup Caribbean Red papaya, chopped

1 tbs pineapple juice

1 oz. coconut milk or spiced rum

½ cup ice

½ tsp finely mined dried hot chili pepper

dash nutmeg

Directions

·      In a blender, process ripe papaya, thinned with a little pineapple juice, spiked with coconut or spiced rum and ice.

·      To make it a sweet-heat cocktail, add just a small amount of finely minced, dried hot chili pepper, like a bird chili or something similar.

·      Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Serves: 1

Prep time: 10 minutes

*This also makes a terrific tropical Shirley Temple.


For information about chili peppers used in Sweet Heat with Caribbean Red papayas

Sweet Heat with Caribbean Red Papayas

Recipes for 

Papaya Coconut-Rum Cocktail

Curried Chicken and Papaya Salad

Summer Spring Rolls

Chilled Papaya-Watermelon Soup

Information about the chilies and peppers used in recipes