What is a durian ?
Durian is a type of tropical fruit that can rarely be seen outside of Southeast Asia. The name durian came from an Indonesian word meaning “thorny” like an unripe coconut with a covering of spine like, green rind. Other term for durian is king of fruit. Durian is famous for its foul smell; however, the insides taste amazingly delicious and sweet.
Durian is the perfect partner for the queen of fruit, the mangosteen. Mostly, durian grows in the plantation in the jungles of Sumatra, Thailand and Malaysia. It is quite easy to spot a ripe durian; they fall of from their elm like tree, making it very dangerous for anyone strolling below. They can be split open with a chisel or a sharp knife. Inside durian, you will find an aril, or smooth flesh in sections, which is almost comparable to walnut. Inside the flesh of the fruit you will see five brown inedible seed. Durian are has a very short life span once ripe, so it makes it hard to be exported outside Southeast Asia.
When choosing durian, make sure that you get the ripe one. To know, check if the five sections of the rind are already separated so you can easily slide a knife in between. Be keen in checking the outer part hidden on the rinds; you may see hole made by squirrels and worms. Then, shake the fruit and observe if the seed pods slightly moves. Lastly, smell it. It may take a little practice though, but a ripe durian would most likely have the smell of a custard, honey or nut.
Westerners normally avoid this delectable treat for its foul smell. An early explorer describes durian like a rotten onion, but the recommendation were trusted to taste the fruit. Once tasted, the explorer then recommended the fruit to others.
