DURIAN FRUIT

I have never tasted Durian fruit before. Don't know ..if I'd ever want to! I saw Durian fruit recently in a local hypermarket (see first picture on the top - thats the one I saw). It looks like a hedgehog on the outside with poky spines. The inside of the fruit is known to be yellowish with almond like seeds.  I always liked the way it looked from the outside, so different from the other fruits we are used to. It is believed that people consumed Durian  in southeastern Asia since pre historic times, but its known to the western world for about 600 years. What I found out about Durian is mix of good, strange and a bit shocking as well. Let me explain....

Okay, to begin with Durian is a native fruit of  Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. The good part is :

* Durian can give you a boost of good energy (like banana).

* Its high in dietary fibre.

* Rich source of Vitamin C

* Excellent source of several B Vitamins like niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine(vitamin B-6) and thiamin (vitamin B-1)

* Contains good amount of minerals like manganese, copper, iron and magnesium

* Good source of potassium

* Its easten either slightly ripened or well ripened.

* It is used in milkshakes, icecreams, cakes, biscuits,

* Unripe durian can be eaten either cooked or roasted.

Now for the strange and shocking part: Let's see what many people had to say from their experience, especially those who are exposed to the so called 'King of Fruits'  for first time.

* Smells like urine

* Smells like a child's soiled nappy that has not been changed for a while

* If a durian fruit falls on a person's head from the tree, it can be fatal!

* A walk through the vegetable stalls in Singapore or Bangkok during Durian season would give you the feeling as if you are walking through some sewage. 

* English novelist Anthony Burgess once said that dining on durian is a lot like eating vanilla custard in a latrine.

* Smells like dead goat

* Smells like compost

* In Singapore there are signs on the subways saying "No Durian"

* The fruit stinks like gym socks

* It smells like vomit

* Horrible smell, but the taste is not horrible.

* Smells like turpentine
* If you eat too much of it, your body heats up

Oh...have you heard of this saying, 'Like a cucumber versus a durian'. (struggle between the weak and the strong. The strong, i.e. the durian) will always win.

Have you eaten Durian? If you haven't, would you try it out even if it smells..um..terrible?.

The Esplanade theatre in Singapore is called 'Durian' by the people, due to its Durian fruit like appearance.

DURIAN sculpture at Davao International Airport, Phillipines