What is Durian?
What is Durian?
An oval spiky shaped fruit found in South East Asia. Proudly named the King of Fruits and mostly known for being the stinkiest.
The stank causes its banishment on public transportation and hotels throughout South East Asia. Contrasting to the spiky outside, the inside has 5 cavities, each filled with soft pods (the edible part). The texture of the pods have been described as creamy custard, silky and smooth.
The word durian is partly derived from the Malay term ‘duri’, meaning thorn. This fossil looking fruit can weigh between 2-8 lbs and there are over 30 different varieties (only a few are edible). The variety is divided into 2 main categories – bitter or sweet.
- Why is Durian the King of Fruits?
At first sight, it clearly has a ring (crown) of thorns encircling the stem, but the nomenclature doesn’t stop there. Countries in South East Asia recognize Durian as the King of Fruits. Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore (city-state), Indonesia and Vietnam.
The countries also have recognized its murderous streak.
Kings like murder. More on this below (Can Durian Kill You – section).
It’s noted that jungle cats of all sizes eat durian. In Asian mythology the protectors and kings of the jungle are tigers. There are reports from Sumatran durian farmers who have sighted tigers in their orchards devouring their crop. Thus, durian picking can be dangerous AF.
So, who is the Queen of Fruits? Durian is considered to be heaty, meaning rich and heavy in flavor. Which can make it a meal in itself. The mangosteen is its’ counterpart. Having cooling properties, sweet in flavor and simultaneously comes in-season. These traits award the mangosteen the Queen crown of jewels.
- What to know about durian before try
7 Durian Dos and Don’ts
Don’t go in blindly choosing durian. If you don’t know how to pick or eat durian, ask a friend or the vendor to show you the ropes. This will decrease the chance of eating unripe, bad durian or pre-frozen durian. Freezing the fruit changes the texture and ruins the flavor.
Do ask a local or find good reviews for suggestions on a reputable vendor. Going to a bad vendor could sabotage the experience.
Do know that there are different types of durians and within the different types there’s a choice of bitter or sweet.
Don’t eat with milk, soda and alcohol. Any of the three can cause indigestion and or bloating.
Don’t buy durian that is missing their stalks.
Don’t think eating durian tart, ice cream, pizza etc is equal to eating the fruit. It’s not the same.
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