Buah Paya Masak Titek (Peppery Papaya Soup)

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Buah paya masak titek is a Nyonya soup. It has strong umami flavours from prawns, papayas, salted fish and dried prawns. It also has a spicy kick from white peppercorns.

My soup is inspired by “The Best of Singapore Cooking” and “Cooking for the President”.

The recipe from “The Best of Singapore Cooking” is too salty. It uses too much salted fish bones and dried prawns, in addition to salt and a chicken stock cube.

The recipe from “Cooking for the President” isn’t ideal either. It’s more like a stew than soup since there’s more papaya than water. There aren’t any fresh prawns, and it’s less spicy than “The Best Of”. But I like the book’s idea of dry-frying, then simmering the dried prawns.

I take the best parts of the two recipes to make my peppery papaya soup.

I use less papaya than “Cooking For”, and less salted fish bones than “The Best Of”.

I omit the salt and stock cube but there’re fresh prawns, as well as dried ones dry-fried till very fragrant.

Lastly, I go along with the amount of white peppercorn and chilli in “The Best Of”.

My soup contrasts the fruity sweetness of papaya with a salty and mildly spicy stock. I like it very much. I hope you do too.

Buah Paya Masak Titek

This Nyonya soup is fat-free yet full of flavour. May be a light meal if you like.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course One Dish Meal, Soup
Cuisine Singapore
Servings 6
Calories 114 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 800 g half-ripe papaya skin should be green with a hint of yellow
  • 350 g prawns
  • 80 g salted threadfin bones
  • 80 g shallots
  • 12 g candlenuts (3 pieces)
  • 900 ml water
  • 1 red chilli
  • 40 g dried prawns (¼ cup)
  • 1 tbsp white peppercorns
  • sugar to taste about ½ tsp

Instructions
 

  • Peel and rinse papaya. Quarter lengthwise. Discard seeds. Trim inner surface. Cut crosswise 1½ cm thick.
    800 g half-ripe papaya
  • Peel prawns, leaving tails on. Devein and rinse. Reserve shells and heads for making stock.
    350 g prawns
  • Rinse threadfin bones twice.
    80 g salted threadfin bones
  • Peel shallots and wash. Chop roughly.
    80 g shallots
  • Rinse candlenuts and red chilli.
    12 g candlenuts (3 pieces), 1 red chilli
  • Bring prawn shells and heads, salted fish bones and water to a boil. Simmer gently, covered, for 5 minutes or so.
    900 ml water
  • While stock is simmering, rinse dried prawns and dry-fry till fragrant.
    40 g dried prawns (¼ cup)
  • Grind or blend dried prawns, shallots, candlenuts, chilli, and white peppercorns finely.
    1 tbsp white peppercorns
  • Remove and discard prawn shells and heads from stock with a slotted spoon. Add ground paste. Continue gentle simmering for 10 minutes. Add papaya and bring back to a boil. Simmer till almost tender, 3-4 minutes depending on how ripe papaya is. Do not overcook or papaya would turn mushy.
  • Turn off heat. Let soup sit 10 minutes, covered, to develop flavours.
  • Reheat soup till gently simmering. Taste and season with sugar to taste, about ½ tsp. Add prawns and heat till just pink and opaque. Do not overcook.
    sugar to taste
  • Serve soup hot, accompanied by sambal belachan and calamansi lime juice as a dip.