Emily Chan
Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone when it comes to fruit? In southeast Asia, durian is a fruit that everyone desires to get their hands on.
Durian has been described as the world’s most foul-smelling fruit. Its aroma has been likened to that of raw sewage, rotting meat, and smelly gym socks. The stench of durian is so pungent that it has been banned from public places in Singapore and Malaysia.
Durian has spiky-skinned armor, and its yellow innards are almost custard-like, but it is most known for its unusual odor. Its smell and taste vary from person to person.
Some find it sweet-tasting, while others believe the scent of durian makes it impossible to eat. Those outside of Asia may not be aware of such a strange fruit, so here is everything to know about durian.
Durian is native to Borneo and Sumatra. It also grows in Malaysia and Thailand. Over 300 different species of the fruit have been recognized, but only about nine of them are considered to be edible.
A durian usually measures between 10 and 12 inches long and six inches wide. Its yellow or white flesh is encased in a thick, thorny husk.
The texture of the flesh is similar to a banana or a pineapple. Durian is ready to eat when it’s ripe enough to fall off the tree on which it grows. Most people like to wait until the fruit is overripe before they eat it. That way, the flesh will be creamy and super sweet.
The fruit was first introduced to the Western world in a letter written by a traveler in 1856. It was described as “a rich custard highly flavored with almonds…but there are occasional wafts of flavor that call to mind cream cheese, onion sauce, sherry wine, and other incongruous dishes.”
In several countries like Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, durian is prohibited from being brought onto mass transit systems. The smell of durian can remain for hours, even after the fruit is gone. Cooking it can help reduce the potency of the stench, but consuming it will cause the smell to linger on your breath.
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