Mango-chics: DURIAN

Durian, widely known and revered in southeast Asia as the "king of fruits". The name durian comes from the Malay word duri (thorn) together with the suffix '-an' (for building a noun in Malay)

The durian is distinctive for its large size, unique odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species. The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact.While some may find it aromatic and fragrant, there are others who won't touch it with a ten feet pole. As a result, this fruit is now totally banned from hotels and most buildings with indoor ventilation. It is easy to know if anyone in a building has been secretly smuggling in the fruit as the smell seeps into almost everything and lingers for a day or two.

One interesting belief that many Chinese have is that the durian has properties which will 'warm' up the body. One way to counter-effect this is by drinking water poured into the empty shell of the durian. When the Malays say that someone 'mendapat durian runtuh', which literally translates into receiving a falling durian, it usually means that he/she encountered unexpected fortune. Another interesting fact is that the fruit usually falls during the night, as some believe that the fruit has eyes and will not fall during daytime when the farmers may be working the fields.

The flesh of durian can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet edibles in Southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked. Though the smell may be offensive, the flavour of the fruit itself is another thing entirely. Strong, bitter overtones soon give way to a seemingly limitless spread of smoother, sweeter flavours beneath: strawberry, custard, butterscotch, banana. As such, it is no wonder that many love incorporating the flesh of this king of fruits into other foods, be it cakes, pastries, desserts like cendol and ice kacang, sweets and even dishes like tempoyak, which is made from fermented flesh of a lower quality durian. As the fruit is seasonal, cakes and pastries using fresh durian are more expensive compared with others.

Whatever your reaction to the durian may be, tasting the durian for the first time promises to be an unforgettable experience. So, why not? Just try it if you have a chance during the fruit season!