This oval-shaped tropical fruit with its rich golden-yellow skin, juicy and silky-smooth flesh, and its exotic, sweet-tart flavour, is a delicacy. Packed with shiny black seeds, papayas are digestives and are said to have miraculous curative effects on diabetics. Ripe papayas can be sliced and eaten by themselves or served with a range of other foods. They can also be cooked to make chutney or various desserts. Revel in the sweet taste of the warm ripe papaya... go on!

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 ripe papaya
1 large orange
25-50 gm lettuce
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
For the dressing
4 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps lime juice
Salt and black pepper

Procedure:
Halve the avocados and remove the stones. Carefully peel off the skin, then cut each avocado half lengthwise into thick slices. Peel and cut the papaya in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and set aside 1 tsp for the dressing. Cut each papaya half into eight slices.

Peel the orange and cut out the segments, cutting either side of the dividing membranes.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Stir in the reserved papaya seeds.

Assemble the salad on four individual serving plates. Alternate slices of papaya and avocado. Add the orange segments and a small mound of lettuce topped with onion rings. Spoon over the dressing.

Ingredients: Dressing:
4 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsps lime juice
1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1 tsp finely chopped fresh red or green chilli

Salad:
1 crisp lettuce
1/4 small white cabbage
2 paw-paws (papayas)
2 tomatoes
30 gm cup roast peanuts, chopped roughly
4 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and sliced thinly
basil leaves, to garnish

Procedure:
To make the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar and chopped chilli. Set aside, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

Shred the lettuce and cabbage and toss them together. Arrange on a large serving plate.

Peel the paw-paws and slice them in half. Scoop out the seeds, then slice the flesh thinly. Arrange on top of the shredded lettuce and cabbage.

Put the tomatoes into a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Leave them to stand for 1 minute, then lift them out with a fork and peel them.

Remove the seeds and chop the flesh. Arrange them on the salad leaves. Scatter the peanuts and spring onions (scallions) over the top.

Whisk the salad dressing to distribute the ingredients and pour over the salad. Garnish with basil leaves and serve at once.

Ingredients:
125 gm plain (all-purpose) flour
1 pinch of salt
1 egg and egg yolk
300 ml coconut milk
4 tsps vegetable oil, plus oil for frying

Filling:
1 banana
1 paw-paw (papaya)
Juice of 1 lime
2 passion-fruits
1 mango, peeled, stoned and sliced
4 lychees, stoned and halved
1-2 tbsps honey
Flowers or mint sprigs, to decorate

Procedure:
To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl with the salt. Make a well in the centre, add the egg and egg yolk and a little of the coconut milk. Gradually draw the flour into the egg mixture, beating well and gradually adding the remaining coconut milk to make a smooth batter. Add the oil and mix well. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

To make the filling, peel and slice the banana and place in a bowl. Peel and slice the paw-paw (papaya), remove and discard the seeds then cut into bite-sized chunks. Add to the banana with the lime juice and mix well to coat.

Cut the passion-fruit in half and scoop out the flesh and seeds into the fruit bowl.

To make the pancakes, heat a little oil in a 6-inch crepe pan or frying pan (skillet). Pour in just enough of the pancake batter to cover the base of the pan and tilt so that it spreads thinly and evenly. Cook until the pancake is just set and the underside is lightly browned, turn and briefly cook the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 8 pancakes.

To serve, place a little of the prepared fruit filling along the centre of each pancake and then, using both hands, roll it into a cone shape. Lay seam-side down on warmed serving plates, allowing 2 pancakes per serving. Serve the stuffed pancakes at once, decorated with flowers and mint sprigs.