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That was like watching someone wrestle and invert a porcupine! Thanks for the how-to

Durian definitely isn't for everybody. Every time I've had it, that foul taste and odor would predominate, and even if it hadn't, just a slight foul taste and odor would turn me off. I'm glad I've gotten to try it, but I think I'll reserve my sweet coconut rice for my standard mango relish. =)

Very honourable.

I've tried it once and had to admit that it tasted much better than it smelled. But the texture didn't agree with me too much.

The hedgehog fruit! Wow, I am curious now!

Nice write up! Very interesting.

holy guacamole!

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!

I've eaten everything from guinea pig (cui) to bulls balls, durian haunts me!

It's one of those edible aroma things. You can actually taste the smell if that makes any sense.

Ah, durian! I love the smell because I love the taste! I have not felt so strongly towards any other fruits. The only rival is cashew fruit. It brings back memories. Out here in the boonies we don't have many fresh fruits from Asia.

Now marang is another story. Can't stand that smell, or the taste.

I am all for demystifying food that's beyond standard American fare. With pictures! I've seen these in the market, but I've always been too chicken to bust into one myself. Thanks Kathryn! I hope you stick around.

@art, amen--that makes perfect sense, since so much of taste is dependent on smell. I rely heavily on my sense of smell--like when it keeps me from eating rotten food.

@squid--amen to that, too! Love it or hate it, it's nice to see something that many haven't. Hooray for broadening our horizons!

Good writeup and nice how-to pics - I must say I agree with the Curmudgeon quoted up front. I think durians are covered in spikes for a good reason - to discourage the unwary. We tried one in HI and I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth for an hour - just awful. But some love it - funny how a big spiky soccer ball of funk can be so polarizing.

I grew up eating durians, but I still can't get over the smell. I usually cover my nose -- it's worth it as I love the fruit.

Kathryn's not-so-stinky durian may be due to it being previously frozen for transport or it being one of the newer strains which is grown for less odor. The latter is hotly debated by durian fans who claim that the less stinky varieties don't taste as good. Durian's flavor can vary wildly from a pungent bite to a smooth custard flavor.

That said, it's definitely a love/hate fruit. Here are some things that we do whenever we eat durian:

1. Wash your fingers/face with water from the husk. I have no idea why this works, but it does. You can also rinse your mouth out with husk water to de-stink your breath.

2. If you don't want to use husk water, rinse your mouth out with salt water.

3. Chinese consider durian's qi to be "hot". You can imagine this when you eat it b/c it leaves a "hot" sensation in your mouth. It's not spicy or temperature hot, but there is a warm sensation in your mouth (that's what we experience anyway). To neutralize the durian, drink salt water after eating it.

For those of you who would like to experience a small bit of durian with less mess, you can also try the durian gelato at Lee's Sandwiches (www.leessandwiches.com) -- it's very authentic in flavor.

To clarify my previous statement #1: pour water into the husk and wash your fingers/face with that water in order to get rid of the durian smell.

While in Thailand on our honeymoon, my husband and I tried a small bit of durian at an open market. It was sort of sweet and creamy, but we were disappointed that there was no horrendous smell. With all the warnings, the lack of odor was a big let-down.

i have my durian slightly frozen. the custard consistency then becomes more like an ice cream and the coldness helps keep the smell factor lower.

DURIAN!
Bleaughhh! I bought some in Bangkok and could not stand the smell or the taste. I made the mistake of throwing it out in the trash can in my guest room. When I came back a few hours later, the whole place smelled completely rotten, and I couldn't stand to be in the room for hours, even after we removed the offending trash can from the room! Ugh! Don't be fooled into eating one! It's completely wretched.

ami - I've never had durian gelato and am intrigued. I love gelato. I've had durian cookies -- still stinky!

Wow, it's so interesting reading so many polarized comments!!

bipolarbear, the durian gelato is still a little stinky (which intensifies on your breath since your mouth is warmer), but it's very mild compared to fresh durian. I was very impressed that you still get the hot qi sensation when you eat it!

I've never encountered durian in the flesh, but that was a great write-up/tutorial. Pictures 7 and 8 are particularly gruesome.

My husband still describes his experience with Durian ice cream as "The Worst Thing That Has Ever Happened" to him.
http://www.pollyann.com
He's led a pretty good life. ;)

nice. the art of opeing durian
i grew up eating durians. my parents used to have a durian's orchard along with a few other exotic fruits.
we use machete or "parang" to crack it open.
sadly, oil palm plantation is just too much for the orchard. :(

The smell of fresh durian is terrible. The taste is okay but the consistency reminds me of raw bread dough.

As for all the "polarized comments" i imagine its a result of what you grow up with and more importantly, what you've trained your palate for. Think of the first time you had a really truly STINKY cheese. You may love it now, but try getting someone that's only had kraft singles to put a bite of limburger in his mouth!

My grandma would boil the seeds and they taste like yams!

Hmm.. that's a dangerous way of opening a durian! A better way would be to open it from the bottom of the fruit. Durian fruits has many "sections" which stores the "pod". Making a small opening according to the line of the sections and then pull it apart according to the line of the sections. But it still need a cosiderable amount of skills and strength.

It is named as the King of fruit in Malaysia. And we have a huge variety of durians with different smell, taste, texture, shape and sizes. We love it here. Personally, the variety here taste better than those from Thailand.

wow such divided opinions! that's kinda funny.

Raena: my mom boiled the durian seeds too!

It is amazing how drinking husk water gets rid that weird aftertaste in the mouth. As many has mentioned drinking salt water is a must to prevent sore throat after consuming durians.

My brother also eats durian frozen. Open the fruit, take the "meat" out, put it in a plastic container and stick it in the freezer.

Also to echo Hazel's comment, durians from different regions of different countries do taste different. Thai's durian are more supple and less fragrant IMO and Malaysia's smaller sized durians are more mushy but the smell is definitely stronger.

Mmm.... I miss durian.

Thanks for the info on this exotic fruit. Initerestingly enough, Durian looks nearly identical to "Jackfruit", which I grew up eating in Costa Rica. I purchased the durian assuming it was a jackfruit, when I opened the fruit it had a combination of a strong fruity but also unfamiliar scent. After further examination I soon realized it wasn't a jackfruit, but I was also worried this new and foreign fruit was spoiled and being ignorant about the fruit (durian) I threw it out.

Next time, I will do an online search and research about the fruit/food before I dispose of anything again.And it was so expensive too!!! I threw out $10 in the trash.
How can I distinguish a jackfruit from a "durian"??? does anyone know??

klyncher: the spikes on the jackfruit is flatter and smoother, doesn't hurt when you run your palm over it. Durian's spikes, on the other hand, hurts and will draw blood if you're not careful.

The texture of the fruits are also different, durians are more mushy, and jackfruits are more solid and fibrous(?). Though I'm not sure fibrous is the right word, i can't think of another word now to describe it.

hi :)

oooh durian is my favourite fruit!

like what ami said, it is VERY important to wash out your mouth and hands from the water that you run into the husk.

i am from Malaysia (living in Melbourne, Australia) now and we never drank salt water to balance out the "heat" of the durian. we actually drank tepid water from the husk! you pour in cooled boiled water into the husk, leave for 2 minutes and then drink it.

too much durian will cause a sore throat if you do not balance it out either by the water from the husk OR mangosteens!

Sasha, Thai durians aren't as fragrant as Malaysian grown ones. it also tastes different. the durians in the photos above actually look like Thai durians... whiter flesh... the durians in Malaysia are deeper yellow and very very very fragrant.

i love durian gelato, durian ice cream and roti durian (instead of roti chanai, "roti" being "bread"...)

oh yeah... there is a very very important step that was missed out in the above steps to opening a durian. you don't just "make a deep score" anywhere in the hull. you need to find a natural line in the thorns... they naturally show you where the incision needs to be by actually pointing inward!

jackfruit does not have as strong a fragrance, but it is yellow as well. it does not have a mushy flesh or thorns... the skin of the fruit looks like a thin layer of brownish yellowish mud over some honeycomb. nothing to opening a jackfruit. jackfruit is great with curries or fresh.

but the best is CHEMPEDAK! mmmmmmmmmmmmmm it's more frgrant than jackfruit, less fragrant than durian, soft flesh and you can roast the seeds and deepfry the fruit. ooooh!!!!

I just tasted durian for the first time last year when a co-worker brought one in for a few brave souls to try. I also didn't find the smell to be too bad. Several of us thought it smelled just slightly of cantaloupe. I found the taste to be earthy and mildly sweet (the flavor reminded me a bit of the smell of raw pumpkin), but it definitely had an underlying unpleasant funk to it. I didn't hate it, but it's not something I'd seek out in the future.

I love durians! to me the taste is very near to avacado

I had a durian milkshake at a Vietnamese restaurant on a whim once. Once is all it took -- my roommate and I barely managed to get through it. Oooh, the smell -- yuck.

"As for all the "polarized comments" i imagine its a result of what you grow up with and more importantly, what you've trained your palate for. posted by mh330"

I don't believe this is true. My Vietnamese husband does not like durian at all and he grew up with a family eating it all the time. I tasted it for the first time in college at his parent's house and I like it, but I don't love it.

I used to find the smell of durian offensive as a child but I grew out of my fear of the smell and it doesn't taste that bad. The texture part is probably what most Americans would probably not like (it being so soft and custardy). Being Chinese, I'm exposed to many more strange smells and sights in food, so durian is one of the more mild things one can eat.

Oh durian!!! LOVE it! Although it's not something I would buy on my own and store the leftovers in the fridge....
The smell is very pungent!
LOVE LOVE durian ice cream and milkshake. They don't smell as bad and they taste so sweet! YUM!

Durian is truly an odd fruit and is very much a love it or hate it fruit. You will know the first time you eat it if you love it or hate it. If you can get past the smell and your willing to play with the taste I'd describe it as a cross between very ripe sweet mango and a sweet onion and something yummy in between.

Just whatever you do don't eat it when you have somewhere to be after or you'll have the linger of durian on you. But if you can get past the smell you may be pleasantly surprised.

I for one love it. But I don't think I'd actually bring a whole fruit in the house and break it a part I don't' think I could deal with the after funk. I'll stick to buying it fresh in the market or shakes or icecream.

Yes, it's polarizing. Sometimes you just have to get over the smell in order to enjoy the taste. Fish sauce and balsamic vinegar aren't the most pleasant smelling things and yet people tend to like the flavor. I don't see how this is different.

love durian, thanks for the how to!