Dried Sweet Papaya

There are places in this country where fruits abound, but there is no way of or it is difficult to transport them to market, thus they become rotten and are wasted away, or are given to hogs. In places where there is an oversupply of papaya , the fruits can be preserved for as long as 10 months by turning it into "Dried Sweet Papaya".

Materials:

Half-ripe papaya, 1 kilo
Kalamansi juice, 1 tbsp. for every cup of syrup
Sodium metabisulfite powder, for every 1/4 tsp. = + 1 tsp. lime in 4 cups water
1 part sugar for 2 parts water
1 kilo sugar for every kilo of papaya

Procedure:

1. Peel the half-ripe papaya and remove seeds, wash.
2. Slice into pieces, about 12 x 4 cm.
3. Arrange in nylon or sinamay and steam for 5-6 minutes.
4. Soak overnight in lime-metabisulfite solution.
5. Drain.
6. Soak the papaya overnight in hot syrup with calamansi.
7. Next day, drain the syrup and add 1½ cups more sugar.
8. Soak again overnight the papaya in hot syrup.
9. Repeat nos. 7, 8 & 9 for three more days.
10. Drain and rinse.
11. Arrange in trays and put in oven at 65°C-70°C for 16-18 hours, or dry in the sun until it becomes tough.
12. Keep in plastic bags, seal.

Source: Food & Nutrition Research Institute