CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF STINKY DURIAN

China’s craving for durian is skyrocketing. The stinky and thorny fruit, known as the king of tropical fruits, has made its way into all kinds of sweet and savory delicacies.

The durian season is typically from June to August, so now is the best time to savor the fruit.

Apart from a few places in Hainan Province, China does not grow or produce durian, though the earliest record of durian in Chinese history dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Ma Huan, an interpreter who went on voyages with famous explorer Zheng He, described the fruit in his book “Yingya Shenglan:”

“There is a stinky fruit called ‘du’eryan’ (similar pronunciation as durian). It has the appearance of gorgon fruit with the length of 8 to 9 (27 to 30 centimeters). There’s sharp thorns on the skin and would crack up into five or six pieces if it’s ripe. It has the stink of rotten beef and contains 14 or 15 pieces of white flesh that’s sweet and edible, the seeds can also be eaten when fried and has the taste of chestnuts.”

The off-putting, rotten smell of durian is the result of compounds such as esters and ketones.

The strong scent also attracts wild animals to eat the fruit.

It takes courage to try the first bite of durian for people who are held back by the fruit’s unwelcoming and formidable stinky smell. But for those who have conquered the smell, eating the fruit can become an addiction.

There are numerous cultivars of durian that have distinct color, texture and flavor. The cultivars have a common name and a code starting with the letter “D.”

The premium Malaysian Musang King durian, D197, is highly sought after by consumers. Locally known as Raja Kunyit, this variety has a dusty, greyish green shell with broad and blunt spikes. Another characteristic to set Musang King apart from other varieties is the seam that looks like a starfish.

Musang King is known for the golden flesh that’s very thick and plump. It’s very sweet with a hint of bitterness and has an almost custard-like texture.

The Golden Pillow durian (Monthong) from Thailand is code-named D159. It’s favored by many people for the large proportion of flesh and sweet taste, and it’s cheaper than the Musang King.

This summer, a 2.5-kilogram whole, fresh Golden Pillow durian from Thailand sells for approximately 150 yuan (US$22.7), while the price of the celebrated Musang King durian from Malaysia is much higher — 500 grams of frozen Musang King durian flesh can easily cost over 200 yuan.