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Stir fried green papaya with local wild greens

Though tried and tested recipes are always a savior in the kitchen it’s the experimentation which keeps me excited about cooking!  I love trying out new things! It’s like moving to a new city… the unexpectedness of new vegetables and spices or old vegetables in new ways is what keeps the experience of cooking new.

I always liked making up my own recipes, even when I had just started cooking. I just have to change at least one thing in a recipe every time I cook it! Earlier I would cook something new and never write it down so I could never recreate it! Thanks to my new blog that will never happen again!

This time I attempted creating a stir fry for my homemade pasta with some very unusual vegetables. Being away from the city conveniences is making me push my boundaries! With no tomatoes, peppers or zucchini available I made a stir fry with green papaya and some local wild greens. And the result was simply delicious! It had a very unique and fresh flavor and looked beautiful!

I always try my best to eat local. But with vegetable markets having fresh produce from all over the world sometimes it’s just too tempting to buy something from the other side of the globe. Being here in a small town reassured me that you don’t always need fancy ingredients to create something special.

This particular variety of greens is called ‘vitamin leaves’ locally and I really don’t know what its scientific name is.

Here’s a picture of ‘vitamin leaves’! If any of you know what it’s called in English please let me know!

Vitamin leaves

It is known to be very nutritious (hence the name!) and it has a beautiful colour when cooked. It tastes very good and has a slight chewiness to it which worked well against the soft pasta and crisp papaya. Try the recipe with any wild greens locally available or even spinach!

Here’s my very own Gourmet Food, with humble, local fresh from the garden vegetables and handmade pasta!

Fresh greens and vegetables

De-stem your greens.

Cut open green papaya

De-seed

and peel

Prepare your vegetables

Stir-fry them in olive oil

Tumble in the greens

Toss with pasta

Stir fried green papaya with local wild greens

[typography font="Cantarell" size="24" size_format="px" color="#b36f98"]Ingredients:[/typography]

• Green papaya – 2 cups
• Wild greens – 4-5 cups
• Shallots – ½ cup
• Garlic – 6-7 pods
• Olive oil- 2 tbsp
• Salt
• Mixed Italian herbs

Heat oil in a big pan. Add garlic and shallots and fry till transparent. Add the green papaya and cook it on low flame till pale and soft. Add enough water if required. Add the greens and fry till it wilts. Season with herbs and salt. Toss it with your pasta and enjoy hot!