Durian
- Plural:
- Durians
- Family:
- Bombacaceae – Floss Silk Tree family
- Species:
- Durio zibethinus
Origin
The trees come from west Malaysia and Borneo.
Plant
The trees with a slender bole and a widely cantilevered crown grow to around 30 m high and carry yellowish-white blossoms, which smell of sour milk. The whole fruit consists of 5 fruit crevices of which contain 2 to 3 seeds in each case. Ripe Durians immediately fall from the tree and are highly desired — among people, elephants, monkeys and civet cats.
Cultivation
In Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and on the Philippines.
Imports
Regularly, largely from Thailand.
Fruit
- Edible:
- Seminal coat and seeds.
- Inedible:
- The bowl and pulp — the seeds are embedded within the seminal coat.
- Odour:
- If you like Durian, it will be perceived as delicious. If not, it will be seen as a mixture of cheese, turpentine and rotten eggs.
- Flavour:
- It is a mixture of garlic, onions, almonds and vanilla, which appears aromatic to those who like it, to others it is unsavoury.
- Size:
- Up to 30 cm long, 12 to 25 cm in diameter.
- Weight:
- Up to 10 kg; fruits of 3 to 4 kg are sold.
- Shape:
- Like a hedgehog.
- Bowl:
- It is green-brown to olive-green, closely taken with pyramid shaped spikes.
- Seminal coat:
- It is cream-coloured; soft and, nevertheless, firm; sweet and viscous like honey.
- Seeds:
- They can be as large as chestnuts with a taste reminiscent of walnuts.
- Ripeness:
- The characteristic scent and flavour must be present.
- Overripe fruits:
- The seminal coat becomes rancid, acidic and discoloured brownish.
- Unripe fruits:
- if it is not with us.
Usage
It can be consumed raw as a fruit, mixed with vanilla ice-cream, pudding or rice while the seeds may be roasted in oil.
Storage
Basically, ripe fruits should be used quickly because of their striking odour; halved durians are left in the shell, folded up and tied. They should be kept for maximum 1 day; opened fruit begins to ferment.
