Papaya

—Because they’re so easy to grow, papayas are found in most home gardens of Southeast Asia. Papaya is used both as a vegetable and a fruit depending on its ripeness. The variety grown and used in Southeast Asia is known in the U.S. as the “strawberry papaya.” It grows much larger than most other varieties, commonly 5 lbs or more. The immature fruit is green, and its tart flesh is shredded for salads in both Thailand and Vietnam. Small pickled slices can be found in dipping sauces and soups. Raw, unripe papayas contain papain, an enzyme that is used as a meat tenderizer. Thai: ma ra gaw, Malay: betik; Vietnamese: đu-đủ