foto: YouTube/Indocake Mandiri
Even though they are bitter, papaya leaves have many benefits. One of them can balance blood sugar levels.
24 April 2024 16:00
Brilio.net - Papaya leaves are usually used as a typical home-cooked vegetable dish for mothers to eat with the family. This vegetable can be simply boiled or processed into other dishes, such as curry and stir-fries. Papaya leaves are also known to have many health benefits, you know.
Reporting from healthline.com, papaya leaves have high levels of antioxidants to help balance blood sugar levels in the body. Apart from that, papaya leaves are also high in fiber to improve digestion, reduce the risk of flatulence, and prevent stomach ulcers or heartburn.
Even though it is healthy, many people still don't want to eat papaya leaves, because they taste bitter. Reporting from research published by repository.unika.ac.id, the bitter taste of papaya leaves comes from alkaloid compounds which are alkaline. The bitter taste that remains on papaya leaves could be due to improper cooking tricks.
There are a number of cooking tricks that are effective in eliminating the bitter taste of papaya leaves . For example, you can boil it with a mixture of salt or tamarind. These two ingredients are believed to be effective in removing the source of the bitter taste in papaya leaves, you know.
However, if you don't want to use these two ingredients, this trick from netizens on the Indocake Mandiri YouTube account seems suitable for you. This netizen admitted that he had tried various tricks, but only this one trick he thought was the most effective. After all, to practice this trick of boiling papaya leaves so they don't become bitter, you only need one simple ingredient.
"So far, I've tried using guava leaves or using salt, but it's still bitter," he said, quoted by BrilioFood from YouTube Indocake Mandiri on Wednesday (24/4).
How to boil papaya leaves so they are not bitter.
The first thing that must be prepared is a container filled with water. Then, dissolve a handful of clay in it. Yup, this clay is the main ingredient for practicing this trick so that papaya leaves don't become bitter. Stir until the clay is mixed evenly with the water, then strain so that there are no more impurities left in the clay solution.
photo: YouTube/Indocake Mandiri
After that, heat water in a pan to boil the papaya leaves. Immediately pour the clay solution into the boiled water, wait until it is hot, then add all the papaya leaves that have been washed clean. Boil for a few moments until the papaya leaves are cooked and soft.
photo: YouTube/Indocake Mandiri
Once boiled, discard the boiled water and rinse the papaya leaves several times until there is no clay left. Next, the papaya leaves are ready to be consumed or cooked again into any dish according to taste. The owner of the Indocake Mandiri YouTube account said that papaya leaves will no longer taste bitter because they have been boiled with clay.
photo: YouTube/Indocake Mandiri
How about it, it's a really simple trick to boil papaya leaves so they don't get bitter, right? Taking a peek at Indocake Mandiri's YouTube upload, there are no comments from other netizens yet, but this video has received enthusiasm from more than 2,000 viewers, you know.
How to store papaya leaves.
Papaya leaves that have been picked from trees or given from the market must be cooked immediately so that they remain fresh. However, if you don't want to cook it straight away, you should first know how to store papaya leaves so they don't wilt quickly and stay fresh.
1. Refrigerator.
Place the papaya leaves in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator at a temperature of around 4C to 10C. Make sure to remove excess moisture by adding paper towels to the container to absorb moisture that could cause the leaves to rot more quickly.
2. Freezer.
If you want to store papaya leaves for a longer time, you can freeze them. Wash the papaya leaves first, then dry them gently. After that, place the papaya leaves in a plastic bag or special freezer storage container, making sure to remove as much air as possible from the bag or container before packaging it. Label the bag or container with the date to make it easier for you to remember when the leaves were put in the freezer.
3. Drying.
You can also dry papaya leaves. Wash the papaya leaves, dry them gently, and then place them on a drying rack or in a place exposed to direct sunlight. Let the leaves dry completely until they are hard and brittle. Once dry, you can store it in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
4. Storage in pots.
If you have a pot of fresh papaya leaves, you can also store them in a pot with water. Place the pot in the refrigerator, making sure to change the water every few days to maintain freshness.
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.
