Papaya Fruit Jelly

How do I get my kids to eat more fruits? I hide the fruits in jelly and the jelly in a fruit. This papaya fruit jelly is a favourite in my house. My kids love agar agar and they get really excited to see it presented this way.

You can use any of your favourite fruits for the agar agar mixture. I made mine with red dragon fruit and the colour from the fruit tinted the agar agar a beautiful pink colour – there isn’t even a need to add any artificial colouring. For the fruit bowl, you can use papaya, honeydew, rock melon or any other fruit which allows you to scoop out a hole to fill the agar agar mixture.

Papaya Fruit Jelly (Serves 5-6)

Ingredients

• 1 papaya
• 1 green kiwi
• 1/2 red dragon fruit
• A small slice of pineapple
• 5 g agar agar powder*
• 500 ml water*
• 125 g of sugar*
• 1/2 tsp of basil seeds (optional)

*The recipe for agar agar (amount of powder, water, sugar) may vary depending on the brand, so do follow the instructions given on the packaging. Depending on the size and type of fruit you use for the fruit bowl, you may have additional agar agar and chopped fruits left over. Place these in jelly moulds.

Method

• Cut the papaya down the middle and scoop out the seeds and some of the flesh so that there is more space for the agar agar mixture.
• Chop up the dragon fruit, kiwi and pineapple into small pieces and set aside.
• Pour some hot water over the basil seeds and leave it to stand. Drain away the water when the seeds have plumped up.
• Boil the water, add in the agar agar powder and sugar and cook till dissolved.
• Spoon some fruits into the papaya bowl, then add in some agar agar water. Spoon some more fruits into the bowl, then add more agar agar water. Repeat till the papaya bowl is full.
• Refrigerate till the agar agar is set and slice to serve.