Durian 101

Durian, known as ‘the king of fruits’, tends to be like Marmite – you either love it or hate it – but that hasn’t stopped it becoming one of the most expensive fruits across the globe. For most of those who love it, durian is simply the best fruit in the world, even though you wouldn’t guess that from looking at its spiky skin or smelling its pungent aroma. The novelist Anthony Burgess once described the experience of eating durian as ‘like eating sweet raspberry blancmange in the lavatory’. In fact, it’s so odorous that in some countries it’s banned in public spaces, such as hotels, and many types of transportation, such boats and planes. But once you’ve broken through durian’s exterior shell, and ignored your nose, its flesh has a delectable texture and taste – it melts in the mouth with a creamy and custard-like texture. BusyKidd has picked up all you need to know about this famous exotic fruit.

Unusual Durian Facts

• Durians only grow in the tropical climates of south-east Asia, with the region’s top 3 producers being Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Although there are 30 different varieties of the fruit, only 9 are edible, and some of these have exotic names such Golden Phoenix, Red Prawn, and Musang King.

• The durians with the best flavour will have fallen naturally from the tree, so many expert purchasers suggest you should look for a frayed stem, rather than a cut one, when selecting fruits in the shops. Most durians fall from the tree at night due to the cooler temperatures.

• Hitting durians helps to release more complex flavours so, after farmers have harvested them using big nets strung at the bottom of the tall trees (which grow up to 50m tall) they whack them with a stick, taking care not to damage the fruit.

• The average durian tree will bear 50-100 fruit per year, with an average weight of 2kg. That means that durian trees can hold up to 200kg of fruit, about the same weight as three adult humans. However, the durians that get the most direct sunlight tend to have the best flavour, so fruits from the same tree often taste different.

• Fruits from older trees tend to have more powerful bittersweet flavours, and so are likely to be more popular with people who are more familiar with durian.

How To Choose A Durian

Check its skin: you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but you can often judge a durian by its shell. The spikes on the durian skin should be sharp and firmly in place. Softer spikes or those that are falling off suggest a fruit that past its best.

Give it a sniff: the famous smell of the durian is also a good clue as to whether it’s ready for eating. A ripe durian should have a sweet and rich fragrance but not one that’s overpowering. If the smell is very strong it’s probably because the fruit is overripe.

Look inside: If the durian has been opened and you can see inside it, check that the flesh has a cream or yellow colour and is not bruised or discoloured. The colour varies between varieties, however, with some having a darker yellow flesh when ripe.

Give it a bang: some afficionados of durian are adamant that you should tap the fruit with a bent finger and listen to the noise. If you get a drum-like sound it indicates there are some hollow gaps of air inside, which normally means the durian is ripe.

Give it a gentle squeeze: you don’t want to damage a fruit but if it yields very slightly when you press it that normally indicates it is ripe to eat.

How To Prepare Durian

Preparing durian is a messy and smelly business, so make sure you cut the fruit over sheets of newspaper or a plastic bag so that you can easily dispose of the remnants. It’s also advisable to wear gloves are the fruit’s spikes can be very sharp. First, look for seams or small natural cracks in the durian’s husk near the stem, then insert your knife in one and gently pry the shell open. Most durians have several large sections of flesh containing seeds that are somewhat similar to an avocado’s. Scoop out these sections with a large spoon or your hands, making sure not to damage the flesh too much so that it doesn’t become too messy. Some people like to eat the flesh directly from the seed while others prefer to remove the flesh before eating it.

How to Store Durian

Durian doesn’t keep for very long and is best eaten within 24 hours of opening it. Although you can store it for 4-5 days in a fridge, you’ll need to use an airtight container to stop the aromas overwhelming everything else. You can, however, freeze the durian in an airtight container and it will keep for several months and is ideal for making smoothies. However long you store it for, expect the smell to take over your house. Some people say that the best place to eat a durian is in the market where you buy it, as you can leave both the shell and the smell behind!

Durian Dishes

If you’d prefer to use your durian to make a dish rather than eat it fresh, it makes a surprisingly good ingredient for a number of dishes, including durian ice cream, durian cheesecake, durian smoothies and milkshakes, durian pancakes and pastries. Here are two simple recipes that you might like to try:

Durian smoothie

Ingredients:

• 500 ml of plain yoghurt
• 50g of durian flesh (seeds removed)
• 1 medium-sized banana
• 25g of ice
• 1 teaspoon of honey (optional)

Method:

Simply blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve and consume immediately.

Durian pancakes

Ingredients for batter:

• 100 g of all-purpose flour
• 20 g of sugar
• 100 ml of coconut milk
• 200 ml of milk
• 2 large eggs

Ingredients for filling:

• 300g of durian
• 180 ml of whipping cream

Method:

Place the batter ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Rest the batter in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. After this resting period, pour about one third of the mixture into an oiled 10-inch frying pan and spread it out to achieve a thin crepe-like thickness. Cook for about 1-2 minutes on a medium heat then flip the pancake and repeat for the other side. Leave the pancakes to cool then fill them with the durian flesh and whipped cream, folding the filled pancakes into squares. Chill in the fridge before serving.

Give Durian a Try

Although some people are obsessed with durian, not everyone likes this unusual fruit. However, don’t be put off by its infamous smell or tales of people not enjoying it. Try durian yourself so that you can make up your own mind. Who knows, you might become yet another fan of the king of fruits!