1. A white powder, the main ingredient of which is papain, an enzyme extracted from papayas that breaks down tough meat fibers.

2. A kitchen too used to tenderize meat by breaking down its tough fibers through pounding. It's often made from metal, in the shape of a mallet, with ridges on the pounding surface, and is somewhat hefty. Another version has rows of long, thin blades that are used to puncture the meat fibers, allowing marinades to penetrate easier.