It’s that time of year again when the more olfactorily vulnerable among us whip out their gas masks … it’s durian season! In this part of the world, June-August signals an annual madness that grips Malaysians and other Southeast Asians alike. We are all (mostly) drawn to the unique and odiferous king of the fruits like flies to … er … rotting food! Well, it’s a cultivated taste. Not everyone can tolerate or appreciate the durian’s particular and distinctive smell, that pungent, penetrating fragrance even its thorny husk cannot hide.
The durian is native to Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia … one of our very common links that binds us closer than kin is the durian. I tell you, durian parties bring groups and peoples together like nothing else does. I think it’s the intoxication of this majestic fruit that does it. In the same way unfortunately, it does tear people apart too. The durian is a most uncompromising fruit: you are either repelled and disgusted by its foul smell and taste, or else you embrace it for the fragrant delicacy it is … (no prizes for guessing where I stand). Countries have been lost and won on account of the durian … well, I exaggerate … But any durian fan will understand my meaning.
Its uncompromising nature has caused many negative reactions worldwide, I’m sorry to say. There’s just so much discrimination around these days. Hotels have banished this wondrous food from their premises, airplanes likewise have declared a ban on all durian stashing on board … This lack of hospitality, even on local and neighbouring shores, has left a deep and visible scar in those of us more kindly disposed to the durian fruit.
(Singapore MRT fines, taken from wikipedia)
International chefs have also spoken disparagingly about the durian. Travel and food writer Richard Sterling says: “Its odour is best described as pig-shit, turpentine and onions, garnished with a gym sock” and chef Andrew Zimmern compares the taste to “completely rotten, mushy onions” (courtesy of wikipedia). My nephew, who is neither a chef nor a travel and food writer, reckons it smells and tastes like rotten cheese, a not uncommon response to the durian by mat salleh types. Needless to say, he politely (but firmly) declined to try any durian when he visited last week …
However, durian lovers need not be discouraged by such a lack of enthusiasm on the part of some. We connoisseurs know better. Didn’t tycoon Stanley Ho of Macau casino fame recently fly his private jet (that obviously did not say, “No durians on board”) to Singapore just to buy thousands of dollars (RM4800) worth of durian? I believe it was the Mao Shan Wang (Musang King) that he bought. And it’s commonest knowledge that the durian is chockful of nutrients and vitamins. Let’s see, according to wikipedia, the online know-it-all, it’s full of vitamin C, potassium, and is a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. The Javanese even claim that it has aphrodisiac properties and swear by its potency. To the Chinese, the durian, being such a masterly fruit, must be approached with caution. To counteract its extreme heatiness, one must eat mangosteens with it for a cooling effect. Alternatively, drink coconut water, or else pour water into the empty durian shell and drink. Why this latter works I have no idea … in fact, I don’t even know if it does work! But we all do it religiously anyway …
The durian is a versatile fruit. You don’t just eat it as is, you can also make other dishes from it. I love pengat durian. When my Malay friends pity me, they let me have some … And who can forget dodol durian? One of the great things in culinary life … not to mention bubur pulut and tempoyak (fermented durian), and to add a modern variation, durian ice cream and cake …
These days, there’s such a variety of durians that–well, I don’t know … I think we’re totally spoilt for choice. I’ve tried durian kampung, Mao Shan several times, D24, and Raja Kunyit. Then there’s Udang Merah and Mas Pahang. Don’t forget the red durian found only in Sabah, or the many varieties in neighbouring Thailand. Oh dear, where do we even start?
Well, I think I began a little late this year, only really getting into the durian frenzy mid-July. But believe me, I’ve made up for lost time! It is already mid-August … I hear that durian prices will get more reasonable from hereon. Yesterday, a kind friend dropped off three durian fruits from Raub, Pahang for us. We’ve more or less done justice to one. Not a whole lot more to go! Of course, self-control is of the essence here, and I did fall a little sick two weeks ago, probably from over-enthusiasm and excess … But hey, this is once a year! It’s worth it!
So jom makan durian!
