Papaya Milk

On a hot summer day in Taipei, nothing quite matches the shoulder-bumping chaos of a night market. I usually come for the street snacks—pan-fried steamed buns, fried fermented tofu—but this time, I'm on a mission to track down papaya milk, Taiwan's quintessential fruity beverage. I spot vendors peeling and slicing football-sized papayas, then tossing chunks into blenders with milk at breakneck speed. When I finally reach the front of the line, the vendor hands me a cup. It's the best papaya milk I've had on my trip: cool and refreshing, with a floral sweetness from ripe papaya and a touch of sweetened condensed milk.

Taiwan's most famous drink export might be bubble tea, but real ones know fruit milk is the true star. Fruit milk, a genre of beverages popular across Taiwan, comes in an assortment of flavors. Some of the most popular fruits used are watermelon, banana, guava, avocado, strawberry, and, my favorite, papaya. I first tried papaya milk in 2019, when I visited the country as a college student. Since then, I've gone back almost every year. Each time I visit, I make a beeline for papaya milk, even before I stop to enjoy other Taiwanese classics, such as popcorn chicken and oyster omelets.

Back in New York, where I live today, I often dream of that creamy papaya milk. It's hard to find, and when I do, I'm usually disappointed by the lack of tropical fruit flavor. Though the beverage is simple to make—just blend fruit with whole milk and ice—the fruit used must be at peak ripeness. Otherwise, you end up with a bland drink that tastes nothing like papaya. Because ripe tropical fruit is neither as abundant nor as affordable in New York as it is in Taiwan, most Taiwanese restaurants or cafés don't serve the drink, and those who do aren't reaching for the softest, ripest papayas available. 

Frustrated by the lack of options around me, I decided to make my own. Papaya milk requires just four ingredients: fresh, ripe fruit; whole milk; crushed ice; and, if you like it sweeter, sweetened condensed milk. Simply blend the ingredients until smooth and frothy. Add more fruit for a thicker, smoothie-like beverage, or more milk if you'd prefer it runnier. You can also adjust the sweetness by adding more condensed milk to taste.

A word of caution: It's best to drink the beverage soon after you blend it. Papaya contains papain, a natural enzyme that breaks down milk proteins, such as casein and whey, resulting in an unpleasantly bitter flavor.