Papaya juice

Peel a ripe papaya, scoop out the seeds and blend the flesh with a little cold water until pourable. Strain it if you want a thinner juice; add lime or lemon juice to brighten its mellow sweetness.

No. Blending the fruit without straining leaves a thicker drink with more of the fruit’s pulp; strain it through a fine sieve if you prefer a smoother, lighter texture.

Choose one that gives slightly when pressed and has yellow or orange skin with a sweet smell near the stem. A very firm, green papaya is less ripe and tends to make a less sweet, more astringent drink.

Keep it in a clean, covered container and drink it within a day; it can separate or darken, so stir before serving. For a colder drink, chill the whole papaya before blending rather than leaving the juice out.

Lime, orange, pineapple and ginger all complement papaya’s gentle sweetness. Blend it with orange or pineapple juice for a brighter drink, or add a little ginger for a sharper edge.

Papaya juice is usually thinner, especially if you strain it; a smoothie keeps the blended fruit’s pulp and has a thicker texture. A papaya smoothie has 59 kcal per 100 g, compared with 23 kcal in papaya juice.

Yes. Freeze it in a sealed container with room for expansion, or in ice-cube trays for smaller portions; thaw it in the fridge and stir well, as the texture may separate.