The paw-paw brings to mind warmer days and beach holidays, but even in winter it is a wonderfully healthy and tasty addition to fruit salads, smoothies and desserts and adds a refreshing and delicious tropical taste to any meal or snack.

This vibrant fruit is available all year round and the health benefits pack a solid punch, especially in the cold South African winter – include it in your diet to fight off colds and flu. It is rich in vitamin A, calcium and is a great source of potassium.

Raymond Petrowski, store manager of Food Lover’s Market Krugersdorp, shares some tips on the best ways to keep paw-paws fresh and tasty for longer.

• Fully ripened paw-paw can only hold for 2 or 3 days at room temperature.
• To slow down the ripening process, store paw-paws in the refrigerator.
• If stored at room temperature, wrap paw-paws in a paper towel and put in a covered container. The skin of the fruit might turn brown after a week but it won’t affect the quality of the fruit.

As paw-paws go from ripe to overripe, the skin develops brown blotches and spots and gradually darkens to an overall brown and black. During this process, the flavour becomes more intense and develops caramel tones, which some people prefer.

In order to stand a chance to win a R500 voucher redeemable at Food Lover’s Market Krugersdorp, answer the following question on the entry form below:

Paw-paw is rich in what vitamin?

Terms and conditions of competition:
1. Voucher not redeemable for cash.
2. Voucher entitles the bearer to R500 worth of purchases at Food Lover’s Market Krugersdorp.
3. Voucher valid for three years from the date issued.
4. Food Lover’s Market and News employees are not eligible to enter the competition.

Related article:

[WIN] Many sides of the humble carrot