Durian is a fruit that has been eaten for centuries. The taste and smell of the fruit can be off-putting to some, but it’s worth giving it a try! This article will provide everything you need to know about Durian. From how it tastes and smells all the way down to what color its skin is and when it’s best to eat. We also include recipes for cooking with Durian as well as other interesting facts about this exotic food.
To discover more underappreciated delicacies, please check out our articles on what Taro tastes like, what Duck tastes like, and what Kimchi tastes like.
Table of Contents
So, what does Durian taste like?
The taste of Durian can be described as a mix of creamy custard, onion, and garlic. Durian is oddly satisfying to eat, but it can be an acquired taste, so it is not for everyone. It can be a bit sweet or salty, depending on how ripe it is when you get your hands on one.
Durian has a taste that can range from sweet to savory depending on where in its life cycle it was when you ate one. The texture will depend on whether or not the durian had been ripened before harvest time. Ripe Durian has an almost custard-like texture (creamy), whereas unripe ones may seem more watery with chunky flesh inside them.
Durians are known for smelling really strongly of the onion because of their syn-propane thial oxide content, which is also found in onions and garlic. Durians are the king of fruit, for a good reason! They’ve been eaten for centuries, and you may not like their taste or smell at first. Still, it’s worth giving it a try because taste buds become accustomed to these tastes over time.
What does Durian smell like?
Durian smells like a mixture of onion, garlic, and the custard dessert called flan. The smell can be off-putting to some people, but it’s worth giving it a try!
The durian fruit has been described as smelling “anything from pleasantly sweet to disgustingly rank.” This unusual odor is due primarily to its high concentration of sulfur compounds (primarily in the form of thiocyanate).
Durians are known for their strong odors, ranging from pleasant aromas when they’re ripe enough to unpleasant ones when they’re not quite ready or have gone past their best.
Some say that eating Durian even leaves behind a layer of creaminess on their tongue afterward, which has been said to give them extra energy during the day.
Durians also have one more thing in common with onions: if either is cut open and left exposed to air, both will leak an oniony liquid substance.
This is called syn-propanethial S-oxide, and it’s what gives the fruit its strong scent.
syn-propanethial S-oxide can also find it in garlic, onions, grapefruit peelings, cabbage leaves, and apples!
What is Durian, and where does it come from?
Durian is a fruit that has been eaten for centuries. Native to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei in Southeast Asia, Durians are the king of fruit!
Durians are spikey on the outside but creamy when you taste them on the inside. They’re also high in calories, containing more than 300 per fruit!
The durian tree’s thick skin ranges from green through to yellow-orange when ripe. It grows up to 50 feet tall with large leaves that can grow as long as four meters wide. The flesh inside is either pale or bright orange depending on where it was during its life cycle: unripe ones will be more watery, whereas ripe ones may have a custardy texture like flan (a dessert made with egg yolks).
It takes about five months after pollination before they’ll start growing, so you need patience if you’re thinking about planting one of your own!
Durian trees are not common in domestic gardens because they require an immense amount of space to grow. They can be grown commercially on farms with the right resources and care if you’re interested in this option. The tree will grow up to 50 feet tall with four meters wide leaves, so this isn’t a plant for your garden if you don’t have space!
Is Durian healthy?
Durian is a rich source of potassium, protein, fiber, and other nutrients. However, the high-fat content means that it’s not really recommended as part of a normal diet unless you’re an athlete or a very active person!
In traditional Chinese medicine, durians treat sore throats by having someone eat one raw every day until they feel better. It doesn’t work for everyone, but some people swear by this method!
Health benefits:
– Contains high levels of potassium and magnesium, which help the body absorb calcium.
– Has a moderate amount of protein for a fruit.
– Provides more energy than other fruits on its own.
Drawbacks:
Durian is sometimes considered unhealthy because of its high-fat content.
Durian is a very rich fruit, so that it can be better as an occasional treat or for really active people.
Is Durian banned in the US?
No, Durian is not banned in the United States. You can find it at Asian markets and some larger grocery stores!
However, some hotels and restaurants have banned the fruit because of its strong odor.
Where to buy Durian?
It’s really common to find Durians in Asia because they grow on trees and are eaten as a staple part of the diet in some areas! They’re also exported all over the world.
However, Durian is not readily available in the United States, although you can find it at Asian supermarkets and larger grocery stores. However, you can also purchase it online through Amazon:
What are the different varieties of Durian?
If you’re interested in trying Durian, it’s best to know what varieties are before picking one up. There is a green variety that has been unripe for a long time and will have watery flesh and white or cream-colored ones, which may not always be ripe but have a creamy texture.
– Green Durian: This type of durian is usually picked before it ripens and will taste a little sweeter than the ripe ones.
– Yellow (Ripe) Durian: This type of durian has less starch, so sometimes they can feel a little dry. But they’re still very sweet and soft!
– Red (Very Ripe)Durian: The flesh in this variety contains more sugar, so they’re often softer to eat with a sweet, creamy flavor!
– Black Durian: These types of durians are often picked too late to be eaten, so the flesh can end up with a fermented, sour taste which some say is more like cheese!
Does Durian taste like Jackfruit?
Durian is a fruit unlike any other! It’s often compared to the taste of custard, onions, or even garlic, but it really does have its own unique flavor:
– Some say that eating Durian tastes like caramel; others compare the taste to sweet potatoes. No one can seem to agree on what this exotic fruit actually tastes like except for one thing: durians are generally agreed upon as being “delicious”!
– The texture varies from creamy (when ripe) and soft when eaten fresh out of hand, through the jelly-like consistency of cooked durian flesh.
– One flavor descriptor commonly used in Malaysia is ‘custardy,’ whereas people elsewhere sometimes describe them as tasting either oniony, garlicky, or smoky, like cooked asparagus.
– Others say they taste a little like onions and garlic but have a much softer consistency
– It’s often difficult to compare the flavor of Durian with other more popular fruits because it has its own unique flavor!
Durians also smell powerful: when you peel them open, they may emit an odor that some find offensive. You can detect the strong fragrance from up to a few feet away, so make sure you don’t bring one on your next date if this might offend anyone! To me, it smells kind of like burnt rubber or even rotten eggs.
Durians are not for everyone, but if you’re looking for a new taste experience, then this bizarre tropical fruit might do the trick! It has an exotic flavor which I love, and they’re pretty easy to peel too! Remember that there will always be someone who hates them – at least durians give you one less thing in life on which everyone agrees. 🙂
How to eat a Durian
The best way to eat Durian is by peeling it open with your hands (holding it with the stem facing down) and scooping out the edible fruit. After you’ve peeled your durian, there are a few ways to eat them:
– Eat Durian as they are – fresh from hand or cut in half for easier eating
– Slice into cubes for use in desserts like ice cream, cakes, or pies
– Mix diced pieces of raw green (unripe) durian with sugar and water to create a sweet dessert soup that’s often eaten during Ramadan celebrations!
Some more tips on eating Durian
– Do not break open the seed, as this will release an unpleasant odor
– You can chop them up finely and mix them through other desserts like cakes, ice creams, etc., but you have to remember that some people find their smell overpowering (this might be a good way to use up leftovers, though)
– If you don’t like the smell, then try not opening them in your house!
Popular Durian Recipes
– Dried Durian:
The durian flesh is first boiled and then dried in the sun for a couple of days.
– Durian Cake Recipe:
Beat together butter or margarine with brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture should be light and creamy, not lumpy like cake mix batter! Stir in sifted flour alternately with milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chopped unripened (green) durians cut into small pieces about the size of raisins but do not overmix it.
– Green Durian Mango Sago:
Blend green durian, mango, and sago pearls until smooth for a sweet treat with a tropical twist!
– Durian Cookies:
Mix butter or margarine with brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture should be light and creamy, not lumpy like cake mix batter! Stir in sifted flour alternately with milk, starting and ending with flour mixture. Fold in chopped unripened (green) durians cut into small pieces about the size of raisins but do not overmix it – this will make your cookies tough to chew if you have too much fruit!)
– Glazed Durians:
Slice open fresh ripe yellow or red durians on top halves, then coat the cut surfaces with a mixture of sugar and water.
– Roasted, peeled, and pitted Raw Green (unripe) Durian:
Place raw green (unripened) unrooted durians on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet at 275 degrees Fahrenheit until cooked through but not mushy – about 25 minutes. Allow cooled fruit to cool before removing the skin, then slice into cubes.
– Raw Green (unripe) Durian Souffle:
Crumble or mash raw green durians until it is roughly the consistency of sour cream, then beat in eggs and sugar. Pour mixture into ramekins or custard cups and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes – they should be light golden brown when done. Dust tops with powdered sugar if desired.
– Claypot and Durian Pie:
Mix green durian, sugar, and water in a clay pot. Add butter or margarine, then place the dish over heat until it boils and the ingredients are well incorporated. Let cool before pouring into pie crusts lined with pastry dough.
– Stir-fried green durians with spicy pork:
Cut up fresh green (unripe) durians and fry in a wok with pork that has been browned. Add garlic, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and sugar, then stir-fry until the meat is cooked through.
-Durian Ice Cream:
Blend durian, sugar, and water to create a sweet dessert soup that’s often eaten during Ramadan celebrations! Blend until smooth before adding milk. Pour this mixture into an ice cream maker, then churn for about 30 minutes until it reaches the desired consistency.
– Durian Pancakes:
Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on low speed. Add melted butter or margarine while continuing to mix. Gradually add sifted flour alternately with milk, taking care not to overmix it – you want your batter as light as possible if using whole wheat flour because otherwise, they’ll be tough and chewy when fried up as pancakes should be
– Chilled fresh fruit salad:
Mix chopped green (unripe) unrooted durian with strawberries and bananas. Add sugar, lime juice, and a pinch of salt before stirring to combine.
– Durian Smoothies:
Blend durians and yogurt until smooth for a creamy treat
Why is Durian so expensive?
Durian is a difficult fruit to make and grow. It needs a tropical environment, and it is only in season for about six months out of the year.
The fruit itself can’t be grown outside Southeast Asia because it needs to grow in warm climates. It also doesn’t fare well during transport. This means that all durians come from Thailand, Malaysia, or Indonesia, handpicked and shipped abroad by plane.
The short availability also makes them expensive. The fruit does not last long after being harvested. They are so popular now that there have been varieties bred specifically for export purposes with a less pungent smell and higher yield, so shipping is cheaper.
-This fruit is also expensive because it’s challenging to cultivate. The plants are highly susceptible to disease and pests. This makes things like fertilizers and pesticides necessary for their growth, increasing production costs.
When is Durian in season?
Durian is only in season for about six months out of the year.
– Durian Peak Season: September – November (Thailand), March – April (Malaysia), January – May (Indonesia).
Conclusion
If you’ve never had durian, it might be time to try the fruit for yourself. This article has covered much information about Durian. Including what it tastes like and how to prepare the fruit in recipes. Give one or two of these dishes a try and see if they suit your taste buds!
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