If you can get all three of these fruits: papayas, pineapple and mangoes, they make a glorious salad.  If you have only one or two of the three, proceed anyway and you will still enjoy.

I’m told that the world eats more mangoes than any other kind of fruit, and that Buddha prized mangoes so much he was given a mango grove to meditate in!

What do all three papayas, pineapples and mangoes have in common?  All three contain enzymes that help with proteins and inflammation.  Papain comes from papayas and mangos, bromelain from pineapple.  Both break down protein.  In fact, papain is the primary ingredient in supermarket “meat tenderizer.”  Mangoes contain enzymes that break down starch.  All three are rich in carotenoids than other fruits, are low in calories, and have lots of gentle fiber.

You want a ripe pineapple, and you can tell whether yours is ripe by its aroma.  Sniff the stem end.  It should smell sweet.  If there’s no scent, your pineapple isn’t ripe yet.  Give it couple of days!

Unlike pineapple, people do eat unripe, green papayas and mangos.  Green, these fruits are said to be richer in enzymes.  The green fruit won’t be good in this salad, but try it sliced and dipped in chili powder or sprinkled with soy sauce.  Try the green fruit grated into a tossed salad, or made into a traditional Indian relish or a pickle.   To be clear, you want ripe fruit for the recipe below.  You want sweet and tender.

Serves 4-6

2 C peeled pineapple chunks	1 C raspberries or blackberries
1 papaya, seeded and cut into 1” cubes	2 Tbsp lime juice
2 mangoes, cut into 1” cubes	1 finely minced jalapeno pepper, opt.
1 C kiwi slices (I peel mine)	1 Tbsp grated ginger, opt.as

Prepare fruit.  Don’t know how to cut these fruits?  Talk to me in the store! 

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Feel free to use more of an ingredient if it suits your taste!  Other mix-ins?  Some honey or maple syrup.  ½ tsp of vanilla extract.