About Papaya Chutney

It is true fact that we Indians are a little more sensitive and serious about various condiments that the Indian cuisine has to offer. All types of chutneys and pickles top this list. Hence, I decided to share this typical Gujarati delicacy, Papaya Sambharo, which is also a chutney in this post. Like other chutneys, the Papaya Chutney also has its regional variations. For instance, there’s this Gujarati specialty, which gives more of a dry sabzi mouth-feel to it. Whereas on the other hand, there’s a Bengali style chutney made of raw papaya, also referred to as the Plastic Chutney. This one is more in a liquidy form. The one from Bengali cuisine also has a texture that resembles a plastic. This is because you cook the unripe papaya in this version, in a particular way. Another difference is that the Gujarati Papaya Chutney is spicy with slight hints of sweetness and tang, as compared to the Bengali one which is completely sweet on the whole. For Gujaratis, Fafda and Papaya Sambharo is a match made in heaven. The fafda’s crispiness, the subtle spiciness of the green chilies, the moisture, crunch, and papaya flavor in the chutney create a diverse range of textures and flavors in this blend. There’s also another special besan Fafda Chutney, often served with the fafda.

More on Papaya Chutney

While I was staying in Mumbai, a Gujarati farsan (snacks) shop close to our home used to serve fafda along with this Papaya Chutney as the morning breakfast. I have this liking for it, since then. On some weekends I would buy fafda, Papaya Chutney and fried green chilies from the snack shop along with some jalebi too. This used to be my favorite breakfast then, and also now. The best part of this rich meal was actually the sambharo, which would taste heavenly the fafda. During Dussehra and Diwali festivals, this combination would sell like hot cakes. In addition to the fafda, this Gujarati style Papaya Chutney is also usually served with Methi Na Gota, Khaman Dhokla and gathiya. Making this chutney is very easy and just takes about 15 to 20 minutes. I make another carrot sambharo, which is similar to this Papaya Sambharo. This Papaya Chutney recipe comes very close to the one sold in Gujarati mithai (sweet) shops. Even though it is served with fafda and gathiya, you can also serve it with methi thepla, rava dhokla, plain paratha or aloo paratha and even as a side dish with dal-rice.

How to make Papaya Chutney

Grating raw papaya

  1. Rinse and peel 1 small raw papaya.
  2. Cut the papaya in 2 parts.
  3. Scrape of the tiny seeds and pith with a sharp spoon or a knife. The seeds and pith have to be removed well or else it might make the chutney bitter.
  4. Now, grate each papaya. You can use a hand held grater or grate in a food processor. You will need 1.25 cups tightly packed grated papaya. Keep grated papaya aside.

Making Papaya Chutney

  1. Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a pan and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. You can use peanut oil or sunflower oil. Keep the heat to low or medium-low.
  2. Fry till the mustard seeds splutter.
  3. Then, add 2 to 3 green chilies, sliced in large pieces or kept whole, 7 to 8 curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing). Curry leaves can be chopped or kept whole.
  4. Mix well on low heat.
  5. Sauté till the green chilies get slightly crisp.
  6. Add the grated papaya.
  7. Then, add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
  8. Mix well.
  9. Then, add ¼ teaspoon sugar and salt as per taste.
  10. Mix very well.
  11. Sauté the chutney mixture, stirring often.
  12. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes on low heat.
  13. Lastly, add ¼ teaspoon lemon juice. Mix very well. At this step, you can also add some roasted sesame seeds and some chopped coriander leaves.
  14. Serve Papaya Chutney with fafda, methi na gota, gathiya, dhokla, methi thepla, white dhokla or dal-rice.

Expert Tips

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Beetroot Pachadi Recipe (Beetroot Chutney) Idli Podi Recipe Schezwan Sauce | Spicy Szechuan Sauce Capsicum Chutney | Bell Pepper Chutney This Papaya Chutney Recipe from the archives was first published in March 2017. It has been updated and republished in April 2024.

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