Durian is a famous fruit from the Southeast Asian region. They have a strange look to them, they are very large and heavy, similar to a green coconut. There are thorns all around the outside. When they fall from the tree they can be very dangerous. Durian farms usually have nets placed underneath the durian trees because they can fall on the farmers heads and do some serious damage. There are stories of people actually being killed by falling durians.
Opening Durian
The inside of the durian after you cut it open, (I see some people cut it in half in the middle, but the way my mother taught me is to cut it where the seeds are, or tear it up by hand, in that case you need some really thick gloves and big muscles!). The inside is yellow soft skin but the meat is very strong smelling. As the durian ripens, the smell becomes more and more powerful, but the fruit also becomes sweeter and softer. Very ripe durian starts to become very soft and mushy, like a thick cream almost.
Durian Smell
The smell of durian is literally so strong that it’s presence has been banned in many of the hotels, airplanes, hospitals, and bus lines in southeast Asia. When travelling in Asia, it’s not uncommon to see actual “Durian Forbidden” signs at the enterances to public buildings. When I was a little girl my mother and I took a bus to my grandparents house one time and we could smell the durian all over the bus, the bus driver actually stopped the bus at one of the bus stops and asked the lady who had the durian to please put it in the storage area underneath the bus! It really affects some people quite negatively.
Unique Taste of Durian
The taste of durian is very creamy and sweet, hardly anything compares to it really. Lots of people I think in southeast Asia love it, but others dislike it terribly. I have heard it compared to a smelly onion custard, or a mushy rancid mango with no tanginess. I really don’t think its that bad and it must be popular for a reason. If you get the chance, you should at least give it a try yourself. I would recommend if first starting out with durian, to do with one that is not too ripe. Very ripe durian is suitable only for professionals.
Durian in Food
In Thailand and other parts of southeast Asia, you can use durian mixed with coconut milk and sweet sticky rice, similar to the way people eat mangoes and sticky rice. Durian can be make as chips, and can be reduced it to make a chewy durian snack paste. Durian is also used in various types of cooking dishes, and I have even seen durian smoothies as well.
Durian is not very common in the United States, but if you are feeling up to it, visit an Asian market or grocery store, or check the nearest chinatown area and you will surely find it!
