DURIAN (Durio Zibethinus)
Known as the king of fruits, the durian is native to Malaysia and Indonesia. Durian fans wax lyrical about the rich custard like flesh and engage in passionate debate about the merits of different varieties such as D24, XO and Mao Shan Wang. The name is derived from the Malay word “duri” meaning thorns. In fact the word Durio in its scientific name was established in 1763 and comes from the word "duri". Zibethinus, established in 1774 comes from "zibetto" which is Italian for 'civet cat' and a reference to the fruit's strong odor.
The fruit is stalked, pendulous, round to oblong in shape and completely covered with strong sharp thorns. When a ripe fruit is opened, it consists of a number of arched chamber containing between 4 to 6 brown seeds covered with a thick, firm, creamy yellow edible pulp with a strong aroma which may be overpowering to many people. Durians are banned from being carried in public transport such as the MRT because the pungent odor can linger in enclosed space for days.
The tree has a slender trunk with many thick branches. The leaves color are bronze to olive green, pointed and elliptical in shape. A large portion of the fruit produced is eaten fresh or raw. Fermented durian, wrapped in palm leaves remain palatable for up to a year and the preparation is called “tempoyak”. It is a popular side dish. They may also be mixed with rice and sugar to make “lempok” or minced with salt, onions and vinegar to make “boder”. Unripe fruit can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The seeds can be eaten, boiled and roasted. Durian flowers are also edible. All in, there are more than 500 species of durians growing in Malaysia of which about only 150 are registered with the Malaysian Department of Agriculture. The color of the pulp can range from white to yellow, golden, light pink and red. The pink and red pulp varieties are natives to Sabah and are not commercially planted. There are so many durian clones that only some of the more popular ones and their places of origin are named. These include the D24 originating from Bukit Merah, Perak, D2 from Malacca and D168 from Muar, Johore.
Do you know…that in 1869, naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described the taste of durian as “Its consistence and flavor are indescriable. A rich butter-like custard highly flavored with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but intermingled with it come wafts of flavor that call to mind cream cheese, onion, sauce, brown sherry, and other incongruities…rich…glutinous…perfect…a new sensation, worth a voyage to the East to experience.”
The fruit is stalked, pendulous, round to oblong in shape and completely covered with strong sharp thorns. When a ripe fruit is opened, it consists of a number of arched chamber containing between 4 to 6 brown seeds covered with a thick, firm, creamy yellow edible pulp with a strong aroma which may be overpowering to many people. Durians are banned from being carried in public transport such as the MRT because the pungent odor can linger in enclosed space for days.
The tree has a slender trunk with many thick branches. The leaves color are bronze to olive green, pointed and elliptical in shape. A large portion of the fruit produced is eaten fresh or raw. Fermented durian, wrapped in palm leaves remain palatable for up to a year and the preparation is called “tempoyak”. It is a popular side dish. They may also be mixed with rice and sugar to make “lempok” or minced with salt, onions and vinegar to make “boder”. Unripe fruit can be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The seeds can be eaten, boiled and roasted. Durian flowers are also edible. All in, there are more than 500 species of durians growing in Malaysia of which about only 150 are registered with the Malaysian Department of Agriculture. The color of the pulp can range from white to yellow, golden, light pink and red. The pink and red pulp varieties are natives to Sabah and are not commercially planted. There are so many durian clones that only some of the more popular ones and their places of origin are named. These include the D24 originating from Bukit Merah, Perak, D2 from Malacca and D168 from Muar, Johore.
Do you know…that in 1869, naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described the taste of durian as “Its consistence and flavor are indescriable. A rich butter-like custard highly flavored with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but intermingled with it come wafts of flavor that call to mind cream cheese, onion, sauce, brown sherry, and other incongruities…rich…glutinous…perfect…a new sensation, worth a voyage to the East to experience.”