In Australia, papayas (also known as pawpaws) are available year-round, with the sweetest and best-quality fruit typically found from September to March.
Choose fruit that gives slightly to gentle pressure near the stem, with skin that's mostly yellow to orange rather than fully green.
Papaya is reputedly described by Christopher Columbus as the "fruit of the angels," said to be his translation of its Caribbean name. Papayas also naturally contain papain, a powerful enzyme that breaks down proteins and has been used for centuries as a natural meat tenderiser.