In Indian cuisine, sometimes a papaya is added to make meat cook faster. Why does this method work?
1 Answer
Mar 26, 2018
papain (enzyme)
Explanation:
Papain is an enzyme, present in the leaves, latex, root, and fruit of the papaya plant.
As an enzyme, papain catalyses the breakdown of proteins by hydrolysis (addition of a water molecule).
This means that papain is able to break down tough meat fibers and make meat more tender.
Therefore, meat can cook faster when a papaya is added.