Durian 

The King of Fruits

 

 

Foodelicious 

No fruit has seen as much controversy or has garnered as much differing opinions as the durian. Durian is derived from the Malay word ‘duri’ or thorn, likely due to the sharp thorns on the outside of this fruit.

The fruit grows along the trunk and branches of a usually very tall tree. Sorry, the pictures are not clearer. I was trying to get a shot of all the fruits but there were too many – about 100 of them. This is the durian tree in the backyard of my dad’s house. 
 

My dad LOVES durian so he grew a number of durian trees in the yard. At one point, I think we had seven durian trees. Some more fruitful than others. This back tree always gave us abundant fruits. 

Speaking of my dad’s love for durians – side story: When we were growing up, every year during school holiday, we would take a trip to Kuala Lumpur to visit my aunts and uncles. One year, when I was about 10 or 11 (my brothers were 3 and 4 years younger), we were driving home from Kuala Lumpur. My grandmother was with us children in the backseat. About an hour and a half from home, my dad spotted a man selling durians on the roadside. You know what happens next – he had to buy the durians. Not two or three but almost 20 little ones!! 

The trunk of the car was full of luggage but that did not stop him. He unloaded some of the luggage and moved them to the front passenger seat and to the backseat. He fit his durians into every nook and cranny he can find in the trunk and one or two made it into the car with us. It was an uncomfortable rest of the journey. But thankfully, we all got to enjoy some very delicious durian for dinner. 

The controversy with this fruit stems from the smell, not the taste. Most people who have tasted the fruit likes the taste (if they could get past the smell). It does have an exceptionally strong smell that can quickly permeate and overpower a space. For that reason, you will often see signs at hotels that prohibit the fruit in their premises. 

Most will say the fruit stinks. I don’t agree. I just like to say it has a powerful smell. 

Now, with all those thorns, how do you get into the fruit? My dad use the same sharp stick he has used for over 10 years. He got the stick from the inside of a broom handle. It’s perfect for opening durians because of it has a pointy end and is long enough for a good grip.

My dad is going to demonstrate how to open a durian.

First, find the end where all the lines meet – opposite end of the stem. [This picture shows one with the fruit already splitting along one of the lines].

 

Us the stick to pry open the fruit at that point. Be careful with the thorns. I know my dad makes it look easy but he has open thousands of durians in his lifetime. Trust me, it’s no easy feat. It’s a combination of strength and precision. If you are an amateur, it’s best to have a cloth between your hand and the thorns. Or else you will likely hurt yourself.

Once you think you have a good enough opening, you can slowly split it open with both hands.

Look at those durian! Such a golden yellow. This is from the tree in the front yard. It’s a shorter tree. The fruit is smaller but the fruit packs a punch - super sweet. And each seed is also bigger than average.

Keep opening the durian until all the fruits are gone.  And when you have ferocious durian eaters that does not take long.

 

The one on the left (paler skin) is from the back tree. It has a slightly bitter undertone. Believe it or not, those that have a bitter taste are much more priced. When I was growing up, I preferred the sweet ones. As I got older, I started to acquire a taste for the ones with the slightly bitter taste.

This was a feast for (4) people.

 

 Of course we finished it all.

What do you do with the husk? Well, you throw it out but we also normally pick one or two with deep cradles to rinse our mouth with. I’m not sure what the logic is, maybe it helps get rid of the durian taste? We also rinse or drink salt water after since it’s considered a ‘heaty’ fruit – too much of it can give you a sore throat. 

The first day home, I had durian for dinner. And for many breakfast, lunch and dinner later. I didn’t mind it. I haven’t had fresh durians for a while, having always missed the season the last few years home. And the ones in Hawaii are not fresh so I’ve never bought them here. Plus they were expensive. 
 

 

Remember the 100+ durians on the tree? Well, after eating during every day for about a week….I decided I needed a break. No matter how much I love durian, there is a saturation point. Besides, I can’t afford the calories intake especially since my workout program seems to have come to a screeching halt while on vacation…

Once a durian fall off the tree, you have to eat it within a day. Or else it will start to get mushy and lose its texture and yumminess. So what do you do with extra durians? You freeze them. They taste like ice-cream later – very creamy. For those of you who have only tried fresh durians, you should try the frozen ones too.

I give durians a 5 out of 5. As far as I’m concern, it’s truly the king of the fruits. Who seconds this? Tell me your durian stories. Or tell me why you love this fruit.