lunch · lokkhi-pujo · bengali · festive · no-onion-no-garlic · chutney · papaya
Plastic Chutney (Bengali Papaya Chutney)
Plastic chutney gets its name from the glassy, translucent papaya slices it is made with: thin papaya pieces simmered in a clarified sugar syrup with cashews and lime juice. A spoon of milk in the syrup brings the scum up so it can be skimmed off. Turn off the heat while it is still a little thin and serve chilled.
Cook along · 9 steps
Method
- 1
Peel the papaya, remove the seeds, and slice it into uniform 2-mm-thick rounds using a slicer if available.
- 2
Cut each round radially into 8 pieces.
- 3
Combine the sugar, salt, and water in a wok or kadai. Heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup begins to boil.
- 4
Check whether the syrup looks cloudy. If it does, add 1 tbsp milk and stir to help impurities rise to the surface. Skim off the scum with a strainer to clarify the syrup.
- 5
Add the sliced papaya to the syrup. Cover and boil for about 10 minutes, or until the papaya is cooked.
- 6
Remove the lid, add the cashew nuts, and squeeze in the fresh lime juice.
- 7
Continue cooking until some of the water evaporates and the chutney thickens slightly.
- 8
Turn off the heat while the chutney is still a little thinner than your desired final consistency, as it will thicken further while cooling.
- 9
Let it cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate. Serve chilled.
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