Assamese papaya khar recipe

 

How to Make Assamese Papaya Khar: A Traditional and Healthy Dish

Assamese papaya khar is a delicious dish made with raw papaya, khar (an alkali extracted from banana peels), garlic, mustard oil and spices. It is a traditional dish of Assam, a state in the northeastern part of India, where khar is considered to have cleansing and digestive properties. Khar is usually the first course of a typical Assamese meal, followed by rice, dal, fish or meat curry and vegetables.

Papaya khar is easy to make and requires only a few ingredients. It has a mild and slightly tangy flavor that goes well with steamed rice. Papaya is also rich in vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants and enzymes that help in digestion and immunity. Here is how you can make this healthy and tasty dish at home.
 

# Preparation time: 10 minutes
# Cooking time: 20 minutes
# Serves: 4
# Calories: 120 per serving
 

Ingredients:

- 1 medium raw papaya, peeled and chopped into small cubes
- 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons of khar (you can buy it or make your own by burning banana peels and filtering the ash water)
- 2 tablespoons of mustard oil
- 2 green chilies, slit
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon of panch phoran (a mix of fennel seeds, cumin seeds, nigella seeds, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds)
- Salt to taste
 

Method:

1. Boil the papaya cubes in a pressure cooker with some water for 1 or 2 whistles or until they are soft.
2. In a pan, heat mustard oil and add the panch phoran, bay leaf and green chilies. Fry for a few seconds until the seeds crackle.
3. Add the garlic and fry for another minute until golden.
4. Add the boiled papaya along with the water and salt and bring it to a boil.
5. Add the khar and mix well. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the papaya is well cooked and the gravy is thickened.
6. Turn off the heat and serve hot with steamed rice.

Enjoy your Assamese papaya khar!