Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Papaya flowers

Today I made a key discovery at a humble-looking warung around the corner from us: papaya flowers.


Papaya flowers are a specialty of Manado, on the northern tip of Sulawesi island. They have a rich dark-green flavor like spinach, but more bitter. They're often cooked up with a bit of smoked tuna and some spicy chilis, which cut the bitterness. On the side is one of the many kinds of hard-boiled egg in spicy sauce. It was a very tasty lunch for 62 cents, which explains why we don't bother cooking much.

We've become big fans of Manadonese food; someday we hope to come up with a work-related excuse to go to there and eat.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

are you sure it's the flower and not the leaves? btw, if I remember correctly, papaya leaves enhanced your appetite.

Trish said...

Wow, Celia. I was really flattered by your compliments until you started trying to sell me a bong. So I deleted you. Sigh.

Yes, Triestiy, I have wondered about that. They certainly seem more like leaves than flowers, but people call them bunga, so I've assumed they meant flowers. I hope they don't make you eat more! I don't need a lot of help in that department!