Durian - the easy way?

I found some previous threads about fresh (ie. frozen) durian and it's availability, but didn't see anything specifically about durian in other forms.

Well, Justin and I have been meaning to try durian since we saw Andrew Zimmern turn up his nose on Bizarre Foods. We finally convinced ourselves to purchase a Durian Swiss Roll - kind of chickening out, but the first ingredient was durian so we justified not wasting a whole fruit. We barely got past the smell, but did both manage to try a tiny taste. It was horrendous - I don't know how anyone can like this stuff. Does anyone? I know there are fans of the fruit here, but does anyone eat other products made with durian?

Here's a picture of the snack cake we had (for a more detailed description of the flavor and aroma check out our blog at http://foodtalkwithfig.blogspot.com:

figmolly wrote:but does anyone eat other products made with durian?

I had a durian smoothie that I found quite palatable (proof: I consumed the whole thing). The dairy creaminess smothered, to some extent, the sulfurousness and brought out the sweet fruitiness. I believe I had it at a Thai place, but would have to check notes to confirm that; my guess is that this concoction is not an exclusively Thai treat.

I've had Durian candy before, and it was pleasant -- though there is a subtle backnote of the smell. As with the milk in Hammond's drink, here, a bit of cream and lots of sugar brought out the fruitiness. Still, it's not likely to become a major addition any time soon.

My advice would be: suck it up, and take it straight.

First time in Bankok, first wife kept seeing all the durian vendors out front of our place, The Florida on Sukhumvit, "I want to try that" she implored. "Absolutely not" I suggested, "you get one, you eat it!" Besides the hotel had these signs posted "No Durian in Rooms". So, of course, one night she shows up with one. "Huh, doesn't smell all that bad" she said, running her nose aroung the intact skin. "Gimme that" I proposed, and stuck my Swiss Army knife blade deep into the succulent flesh. The wave of smell threw her against the wall, down which she slid, to recumb in a limp mass on the floor. "Here, try this" said I as I forced a tender morsel into her slack mouth.

"Ummmm" she explained.

We ate the whole damn thing. The texture is simply inexplicable to the Western mind; the taste is wonderful, the smell... execrable.

All the products--crackers, cookies, twinkies--that contain it get all the bad and none of the good.

If you like the texture of any of the creamy tropical fruits--mangosteen, really ripe Japanese persimmon--you'll love durian.

Geo

I've had durian in myriad forms... candy, curry, mochi, ice-cream, lollipop, swiss rolls. You name it, they sell it. Personally, I think it's a great way to start with durians. Of course, this happens after I started eating a durian candy at work a few weeks ago and my co-worker says aloud "Something smells like trash in here!"

On a more risque note... I've heard they make durian-flavoured condoms...

I tried some durian cookies. The smell was like rotting garbage and although I have never actually eaten rotting garbage, the taste seemed to match.

LAZ wrote:I tried some durian cookies. The smell was like rotting garbage and although I have never actually eaten rotting garbage, the taste seemed to match.

Maybe if you put some bacon on it...

My introduction to durian was in the form of bubble tea at Chill Bubble Tea in Morton Grove. I thought it was excellent, tasting of honey and almonds. However, part of that may have been due to the tea.

I was going to purchase a durian at Grand Mart, but they were so huge and covered with some whitish softish stuff (mold?) so I chickened out. What if nobody helps me eat this thing, and what was that white stuff? They also had it in frozen chunks, but the containers were gooey and sticky and again I chickened out.

But then one day a coworker brought in dark chocolate durian truffles, and I thought, how beautiful, how shiny, and boy do I love chocolate!

Chocolate-covered mushy onions do not a tasty dessert make. It took a lot of Pepsi to get rid of that taste. What a waste of fine chocolate.

I would like to try the swiss roll though. And maybe someday I'll get the nerve to buy a whole fruit, just to see. I'll bring it to my aunt's barbecue this summer.

Pie Lady says:

I'll bring it to my aunt's barbecue this summer.

Heh-heh, that'll insure that you'll get a lot of 'que!!

Geo

To me, much of the appeal of durian is the custardy texture. I've never really enjoyed the cakes and candies made from durian. If you get it frozen then the smell is muted significantly. Durian definitely seems to be an acquired taste and getting past the smell is the hardest part. If you can manage to keep trying, it tastes disgusting until, at some point, it starts to taste really great - which for me happened the second or third time I tried it. Maybe you get desensitized to the smell after a while or maybe it is because the first time I had it fresh and subsequent times it was frozen.

I do like durian bubble tea too.

As noted upthread, the best way for a neophyte to sample durian is when it's part of a dairy dessert. A shake is fine, ice cream is good, but the best way to try it, IMHO, is in the warm sticky rice and durian dessert at Sticky Rice. Hunks of durian are submerged in warm coconut milk, which manages to effectively obscure the smell, leaving you free to enjoy the flavor.

Bear in mind, though, it's a gateway drug. You'll be on the hunt for the raw, uncut stuff soon enough.

Pie Lady wrote:covered with some whitish softish stuff (mold?) so I chickened out.

I've seen white moldy looking stuff on papaya, and simply cutting it off seems to work fine. I believe what may happen is that the fruit is so big, it takes a while for the whole thing to ripen, and as it does, outer parts of it actually rot (a little). This is a guess.

I just returned from China, gleefully enjoying fresh mangosteen on the street, which is frequently regarded as the sweetest fruit in the globe.

However, the real surprise was (what I took to be - see below) fresh durian (jackfruit would have been a surprise as well). I found a seller who was cutting a super-fresh fruit. Although durian has the reputation of smelling like old gym socks (as is true of much of the durian that I have eaten), this smelled more like barely used gym socks, the socks of a kid who hides during recess. And the taste was lovely with a custardy, mango-ish taste with only a touch of funkiness. I ate durian (or jackfruit?) several times during my weeks in China, feeling that if Americans were exposed to these sweet fruits durian-phobia would be much reduced (perhaps there is not so much jackfruit-phobia).


042713-Durian 002 by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Durian Seller - Luoyang, China - April 2013 by garyalanfine, on Flickr


Durian - China - April 2013 by garyalanfine, on Flickr

Sorry to burst your bubble Gary, but those photos are not of durian... That is a jackfruit!

Durian is shorter, rounder and spiker!


San Gabriel - Durian by agashi, on Flickr

Meat is so stinky, they saran wrap AND plastic bag them in Singapore! The whole fruit is not allowed on public buses!


Bedok - Durian by agashi, on Flickr

I thought that jackfruit had large seeds. These did not have seeds. I still believe the picture of the fruit in the package is of the cut up durian. Perhaps there was a miscommunication between the seller and myself, and it did have that fruity custard taste. I have looked at images on the web, and neither jackfruit or durian looks exactly like what I saw, although the outside might have been either from the range of photos, and jackfruit has an onion-y smell.

Here is an image of jackfruit that seems similar to what I was sold:



But here is an image of jackfruit that looks very different from what was cut up:



Here is an image of durian that looks pretty similar to what I saw:



So at this point I am somewhat uncertain. If the word durian is recognizably similar in Chinese as it is in English, the seller indicated that it was durian. I pointed and asked durian?, and received a nod and "durian," but of course that could have come from a desire to be polite, sell, or placate me. I am no longer certain what it was, other than jackfruit or durian, it was very tasty.

GAF wrote:I thought that jackfruit had large seeds. These did not have seeds.

Jackfruit and durians both have seeds. The sizes of them vary. Jackfruit's flesh is generally firmer than durian's custardy texture.

GAF wrote:But here is an image of jackfruit that looks very different from what was cut up:

The jackfruit in this photo was cut horizontally. The one above in the original post was cut vertically.

GAF wrote:Here is an image of durian that looks pretty similar to what I saw:

Durian is not firm enough to shred like this.

GAF wrote:I am no longer certain what it was, other than jackfruit or durian, it was very tasty.

And that's all that matters! That it was tasty!

I'll agree with CrazyC on her assessment.

Durians are much more variable than jackfruit in terms of colour and texture. As it turns out, I'll be visiting a durian farm in a few weeks, where they are experimenting with a number of different varieties. I'll have to remember to take pictures...

Puppy wrote:As it turns out, I'll be visiting a durian farm in a few weeks, where they are experimenting with a number of different varieties. I'll have to remember to take pictures...

One time we can all be happy that scratch-and-sniff LTH posts don't exist.

-Dan

Puppy wrote:I'll agree with CrazyC on her assessment.

Durians are much more variable than jackfruit in terms of colour and texture. As it turns out, I'll be visiting a durian farm in a few weeks, where they are experimenting with a number of different varieties. I'll have to remember to take pictures...

Please do post your pictures and commentary!