Do'o Modipo or Chicken with Raw Papaya is one of the most well known A'chik Mande / Garo dishes, and it's well represented online.
Most recipes for Do'o Modipo seem to have the same
ingredients. Where they vary is in how much water is added. Some have
as much as a 4 cups, turning the dish basically into a soup. Others
call for less water added gradually and may make a sauce. The one I
followed didn't ask for any.
The original recipe didn't specify what
types of papayas to use except for calling them "raw". I now suspect
that what they meant by it was "green papayas," meaning those that
haven't yet ripened. While that's what I ordered, what I got delivered
was a ripe Mexican papaya. I suspect that when you cook green papaya the
structure of the fruit remains firmer, while releasing its juices. The
ripe papaya became mushy and didn't release much juice, so this ended up
being a dry dish for me.
The original recipe was cooked on a
non-stick pan and no oil was used. I don't know what the A'chik Mande /
Garo people did before the invention of nonstick pans, but what I did
was add a little oil.
I was quite surprised at how tasty it was given is simplicity and few ingredients. The chicken was succulent and the slightly sweet caramelized fruit brightened it. I'm not sure what the baking soda is supposed to do - but it's a common ingredient in A'chik Mande / Garo dishes - but it didn't add a metallic or otherwise weird flavor.
Note that this recipe witll serve 2 people with western-size appetites.
