This Green Papaya Mustard Curry is insanely easy to make and is a one pot no blend South Indian vegan wonder made with everyday spices.

South Asian cuisine is abundant with vegan recipes and in a curry like this, a few pantry staples are put to work together, creating a delicate fusion of flavours in a mild yet delicious creamy vegetable curry.

This is a tested and perfected simple Green Papaya Mustard Curry that I often make for my family. It makes a complete meal with hot steamed rice alongside Indian style pickles. You could even eat it on its own as a guilt-free soup, if you are watching your carb intake.

This curry cannot be found on any restaurant menus because it is a regional delicacy from the west coast of India, with my twist and I would recommend you bookmark it or pin it for whenever you need vegan curry inspiration.

If you try this Green Papaya Mustard Curry, I’d love for you to leave a comment and a star rating on the recipe and let me know how you liked it. If you’re on instagram snap a photo and tag me, so I can see. I always love hearing from you. It’s also helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and cooking ideas!

Enjoy!

Green papaya is an unripe papaya, the skin of which looks dark green and the flesh very pale. A very mature papaya might even have a slight touch of pink when cut.

Papayas are grown in tropical regions of the world.

A mature green papaya is more like a vegetable than a fruit. Green papaya is equally as versatile as a ripe papaya as it can be used in salads, stir-fries, soups, curries and stews. It just depends on how creative you want to be!

If you are still wondering what a green papaya is, it is a papaya that is intentionally sold as green papaya.

• For Sydneysiders, green papaya can be bought at a speciality produce store called “Panettas”, shop 3369, Macquarie Shopping Centre, Cnr. Herring and Waterloo Road, North Ryde, Sydney.

• You could also buy green papaya at Harris Farm Markets and Asian grocery stores, eg. Eastwood Fresh in Eastwood.

• Try major supermarkets like Coles. My local Woolworths does not sell raw papayas.

• Perhaps, try some local grocers in Sydney.

Because a curry like this, is full of nostalgia!

First up, let me tell you, papayas are common to most home gardens in Southeast Asia. Papayas go as far back as my junior school days, as my mother had a couple of papaya trees growing in our compound. All of us loved the taste of those luscious, sweet and flavoursome ripe papayas.

Further, green mature papayas were also a staple, where they were used as a hero ingredient in simple yet delicious coconut curries and some Mangalorean style pickles.

My mother cooked green papayas with lentils to make a homely lentil and papaya curry, similarly, she cooked with Malabar spinach (valchi bhaji) Malabar Spinach and Paw Paw Curry to make a delicious Mangalorean style papaya and spinach curry. Mind you, these coconut-based curries were sustainable main meals during the papaya season then, and now in many homes in South India.

Each time I see a papaya tree in my neighbourhood in Sydney, I am reminded of my late mum and these simple homemade vegetarian curries!

My mother believed in sustainable living and made conscious choices to create a balanced, eco-friendly relationship with the earth, thus creating a better quality of life for her family.

That was my mama, a strong, selfless matriarch, who raised five children through the toughest of times, and she remains with me through her food every moment of every day! Thank you mummy!

Papaya – a superfood

Papayas are often considered a superfood because they are packed with health benefits. A single serve provides double your daily intake of Vitamin C, helping keep your immune system healthy.

Green or ripe papaya is low in calories

Papaya is a great go-to snack, as it is high in fibre and low in calories at just 43 calories per 100g of raw or ripe papaya. It has a moderate Glycaemic Index, meaning it can cause a moderate increase in blood sugar levels, compared to high GI foods like watermelon, which can cause rapid blood sugar spikes.

Green or ripe papaya is rich in papain enzyme

Papaya contains a digestive enzyme called papain, that helps breakdown protein in the body and aid digestion.

Papaya is 90% water

Papaya fruit is 90% water that helps keep your skin hydrated and refreshed.

Papaya is a good source of Lycopene

Lycopene is known to fight inflammation, diabetes, obesity as well as metabolic diseases that affect the kidney, liver, lungs, heart, eye, bone and nervous system (Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2024).

Rich in Vitamins A, E and folate

Papaya is rich in vitamin A, C, E, folate, minerals such as potassium and health protective compounds, such as beta-carotene.

Not only the pulp of the fruit, the papaya leaves and seeds have also demonstrated antioxidant, anti-hypertensive and hypoglycaemic activity (Nutrients, 2019).

This Green Papaya Mustard Curry is made with simple everyday spices and ingredients.

I buy my green/raw papaya from a speciality produce store at my local shopping centre. Check out your local Harris Farm Markets and Asian grocery stores.

Most homes have some kind of mustard in their pantry. Although I have used only Dijon mustard in the recipe card below, you could even use seeded mustard (3 tsp.) if that’s what you have or a combination of Dijon mustard (1½ tsp.) and seeded mustard (1½ tsp.), if you have both types of mustard.

I have used both mustards in the image above! You will also see an image above where I have used only Dijon mustard.

This is a mild creamy coconut curry, for which I have used coconut milk powder (50g) to make coconut milk with water (250mL). If you have canned coconut milk, you could easily use 250mL canned coconut milk. I would not recommend using coconut cream, as the curry could get slightly slimy with a combination of coconut cream and the viscous texture of raw green papaya.

To add flavour without the traditional spices, I have added staple whole spices, like fenugreek, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. If you do not stock fenugreek, you may skip it and use only cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.

Onion, curry leaves and garlic intensify the flavour of this mild curry, which is most pleasing to the palate without any heat!

Simple ingredients. Tasty curry. Perfect vegetarian curry to add to the Nativity feast menu.

• Green Papaya – A firm, mature green papaya (no ripe papaya please!) that is intentionally sold green works well. Wash papaya well under cold running water. Wipe with paper towel and halve papaya lengthwise. Discard any seeds and peel. Slice each half into 4-5 slices lengthwise and cube them. Cover with cold water and set aside until ready to use.

• The aromatics – When heated in oil, curry leaves add a complex savoury flavour, while fenugreek transforms its flavour into a distinctive nutty aroma adding depth into this curry. Cardamom releases earthy floral notes and pairs perfectly with cinnamon and cloves to create warm, spicy notes particularly in the absence of Kashmiri chilli powder. All these are familiar flavour profiles to an Indian palate.

• Garlic – Fresh garlic is always ideal but add 2 tsp. of bottled garlic paste, if you could not be bothered with fresh!

• Onion – Adds overall flavour and texture, as this curry is all about flavour and not spice. I have chopped the onions but slicing also works well. Those squiggly bits of onion in your mouth are delicious when coated with creamy coconut milk!!

• Turmeric – A key ingredient that gives that distinctive yellow colour and delicate earthy notes. A little goes a long way. Add only ¼ tsp. as too much can lend the curry bitter and make the curry golden yellow.

• Dijon mustard – In this curry, Dijon mustard plays a tasty role, while adding a subtle wasabi-like taste. The vinegar in the mustard adds a little acidity to balance the sweetness of the coconut milk. Alongside turmeric, it gives a creamy texture and a unique yellow colour to the curry. Substitute: 1½ tsp. Dijon mustard and 1½ tsp. whole grain mustard (a little crunch and texture).

• Coconut milk – Coconut milk plays a vital role in South Indian diet, adding creamy texture, taste and its characteristic nutty flavour.

This is how I choose a green papaya for this Green Papaya Mustard Curry:

• A firm, vibrant green skin without any blotches or soft spots.

• The best ever clue, a green papaya that is intentionally sold as green papaya.