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Unusual Food Assignment Durian, King of Fruits The durian is commonly known as the “King of the Fruits”, a name that can be known for its dreadful look and overpowering odor. The fruit is oblong to round (football shaped) and can grow to weigh up to 18 pounds. The rind is yellowish or yellowish-green, dense and thick, and has sharply pointed spines that must be handled carefully or results will be painful. The fruit is notorious for its odor, which is usually described in unappealing terms.
What most people regard as a hideous aroma is only one of the durian’s defenses against human predators. It is subject to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. The taste of the durian is unique. Inside the fruit are five sections that have a creamy flesh that can be whitish, yellowish, pinkish or orange colored. The flesh of the durian resembles custard. Just as the odor has a variety of terms of description, so does the taste have a variety of terms to describe it.
Among those are “custard, almonds, and a hint of garlic,” “banana, papaya, vanilla, and rotting onions,” and there are many more comparisons to other food combinations. Chef Andrew Zimmern compares the taste to “completely rotten, mushy onions. ” Yet, to those that appreciate it, the taste is an incredible experience. Some people say it just smells like a mixture of sewage, stale vomit, rotten onions, and moldy cheese. The durian is usually sold as a whole fruit or sometimes cut open and divided into sections. The flesh is best after it is well chilled.
It can be boiled with sugar or cooked in coconut water. It is also a popular flavoring for ice cream, a sauce for rice, relish, ices and side dishes. At the Four Seasons Hotel in Bangkok they serve the Durian Sundae, featuring durian ice cream, sweet brown sticky rice, rice crispies, coconut sauce and crushed peanuts for the more adventurous to try. At the Regal HongKong Hotel souffle is specially highlighted with an array of creative flavors including durian, black truffle with sweet cherries, passion fruit with strawberry and green tea with Red Bean.
It is sometimes canned in syrup or even dried for export. It is formed in blocks of paste for sale in local markets. It has become a very versatile commodity. In addition, inside the durian fruit are one to seven seeds that are 2 to 6 centimeters long. These large seeds are edible and can be boiled, roasted or fried. They can even be sliced thin and cooked with sugar as a confection. However, uncooked durian seeds are toxic and must not be eaten. Leaves and shoots are sometimes cooked as greens.
The smell of the durian has already been mentioned, but this characteristic is a large part of the uniqueness of the fruit. The pungent aroma of the durian can spread for large distances. A ripe durian is very effective in alerting animals in its vicinity to its presence, including squirrels, pigs, deer, elephants, and even tigers. Different species of durian have different odors, but they are all distinct. The odor is so repugnant that in some areas the fruit has been banned from certain hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia.
The durian has medicinal uses. The leaves and roots can be prepared as a fever reducer. There is also a product on the market in the form of tablets that is marketed as a health food supplement for energy support. It claims to provide “more concentrated healthful energy in food form than any other product the world affords. ” Whether you are a fan of the durian or you loathe the disdainful aroma that is uniquely its own, you must agree it is a “one-of-a-kind,” unique, and “King of the Fruits” fruit. Bon appetit!