How to Eat a Durian 101
In 1856, the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace provided a highly quoted description of the flavour of the durian:
“The five cells are silky-white within, and are filled with a mass of firm, cream-coloured pulp, containing about three seeds each. This pulp is the edible part, and its consistence and flavour are indescribable. A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy. It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect. It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience. … as producing a food of the most exquisite flavour it is unsurpassed.
On the other hand a lot of people believe you have to be more than a little masochistic to eat a durian. The large, spiky fruit has an odor so strong and offensive that it has been banned from luxury hotels in Malaysia and from planes all over Southeast Asia. If you’re brave enough to try this exotic fruit, here’s how to eat it.
In our series on tropical and exotic fruit we now give you instructions on how to safely eat a durian:
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You’ll Need:
Large knife with sturdy blade
Mouthwash
Step 1:
Select a durian at the peak of ripeness. When it is ready, the durian will crack a bit, giving you a preview of the distinctive scent for which it is infamous. If your durian reeks of dirty nappys left out in a dustbin at midday, with a top note of sweaty gym socks, you’ve got yourself a winner.
Step 2:
Slice the durian along this natural fissure. Now you are really in for an olfactory assault that has been known to make people cry and retch. Be brave, make that cut and pry it wide open.
Step 3:
Reach in, and grab one of the fleshy sections. This is what you are looking for. It will range in color from pale yellow to orange to bright red and may be covered with a thin membrane.
Step 4:
Pop it into your mouth before you start to have second thoughts about the whole business. The texture has been compared to that of a soft cheese or custard.
Step 5:
Spit out the rather large, chestnut-sized seed (mainly because it is poisonous). Vomiting at this point is common but considered bad form.
Step 6:
Use lots of mouthwash to get rid of the taste, unless you are one of the few who enjoy the taste of durian. Then, by all means, pop in another section and enjoy!
Tips & Warnings
Durians flower in February and are at their peak in May.
Durian fans claim that the fruit is an aphrodisiac. Perhaps, but who wants to get near them to find out?
Never ingest the durian seed. They are toxic.
Tags: actor, alfred russel wallace, cream cheese, custard, delicacy, dirty diapers, durian, Durians, exotic fruit, exquisite flavour, food, fruit, luxury hotels, Malaysia, masochistic, Mouthwash, nappy, nappys, nausea, scent, sherry, south, southeast asia, star, tropical fruit
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