Ripe papayas have greenish-yellow rinds and are firm.
Papaya carving is an art form and tradition from Thailand that rose to prominence in the early 1800s. Today, papaya carving is still practiced in Thailand, the United States and Europe. When ripe, the papaya is a firm, football-shaped fruit with a yellow-and-green rind. Chrysanthemum flower designs are some of the most common carving techniques applied to fruit, using the rind and flesh to produce three-dimensional designs.
Instructions
1. Place a ring mold on the fruit and score or lightly trace the circle with the carving knife. Choose a 4-to-5-inch ring mold, depending on the size of the fruit and the desired size of the carving. This circle will indicate the outer edge of the flower design.
2. Cut into the circle about 1/2 inch deep. Then, carve the first row of petals inside the circle with a 7/8-inch, U-shaped chisel. This is done by digging into the fruit at a 45-degree angle, about 1/2 inch away from the circle. Once the chisel reaches the circle's edge, lift upward to remove the chunk of papaya flesh. Repeat this technique around the inside of the circle.
3. Use the knife and gently cut away a small V-shaped section behind each U-shaped gouge. Start about 1/16 inch away from the each U, following the same 45-degree angle. Lift the V-shaped piece of flesh away and continue to the next U, until the circle is complete. This helps make the first ring of petals three-dimensional.
4. Peel away with the utility knife the rest of the papaya's rind left inside the circle. Be careful you don't damage the petals.
5. Create a zig-zag circle about 1/2 inch away from the first row of petals. Carve into the fruit at a 45-degree angle using V-shaped incisions. Then go behind each V and cut another V shape about 1/16 inch away before lifting away the flesh. This technique forms an inner row of petals.
6. Repeat Step 5 to create another inner row of petals. Once complete, there should be a total of three rows making up the flower's design.
7. Sculpt the outer leaves of the flower using a 1-inch, scalloped-edge chisel. Unlike before, insert the chisel on the outside of the circle's edge, about 3/4 inch away. Dig at a shallower angle (about 30 degrees) toward the circle. This scalloping design is the finishing touch to the carved chrysanthemum.
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