World renowned naturalist, Alfred Russel Wallace had this to say about the durian: "It is like a buttery custard flavoured with almonds, intermingled with wafts of flavour that call to mind cream cheese, onion sauce, brown sherry and other incongruities... It is neither acid, nor sweet, nor juicy, yet one feels the want of none of these qualities, for it is perfect as it is." Others speak just as strongly about this controversial fruit, but to contrary effect.
Origins and distribution
The durian is indigenous to Southeast Asia and can be found in many of the region's low-lying forests. It is most commonly cultivated in Malaysia and Thailand and holds the distinction of being the most highly-prized fruit in the region. In fact, some aficionados go to the extent of hailing it as the "King of Fruits".
Description
The tree belongs to the Bombacaceae family and can attain heights of up to 120 ft. It has a straight, central trunk from which numerous horizontal branches extend. The bark of the tree is flaky and comes in shades of grey or reddish brown. Leaves are simple and vary from pale olive to bronze green. Trees reach maturity between the age of five and seven and produce fruits twice a year. Flowers are borne only for a day, during which they are pollinated and drop off. The melon-shaped fruit then takes approximately three months to ripen, before falling and splitting on the ground. Durian fruits are distinguished by their olive green colour and coarse rind, which is studded with sharp, formidable spikes. This thick armour protects the durian fruit from being damaged by the impact of falling from considerable heights. The segments of the fruit reveal several portions of creamy, yellow flesh, each encasing a hard, light brown seed. It is this rich, custard-like flesh which is so eagerly devoured. The fruit also has a notoriously pungent aroma which the unacquainted may find exceedingly offensive. Its smell is so pervasive that it has forced certain airlines, hotels and public transport to ban the fruit. In fact, Singapore's MRT stations have prominent signboards indicating the ban, which is followed by a hefty fine if violated. To date, there are more than 100 durian clones available in the region. The more popular ones found in Singapore are the D24, D145, D158 and the Thai Mon Thong. With their thick, sweet flesh, unique aroma and full flavour, they command the highest prices and are indulged by the more affluent Singaporean customers.
Usage
Food source
Durians are an important and nutritious source of food for many wild animals that inhabit the rainforest. Evidence shows that even tigers and elephants are fond of the fruit, valuing it for its high vitamin and mineral content, which includes vitamins A, B, C, and iron. Arguably, the fruit tastes best when eaten fresh, but there are other ways to enjoy it. The flesh is used to make durian cakes, which are pleasant enough, but not as tasty as the real thing. Durian puree is used to flavour durian ice-cream, but judging from its rather poor acceptance, it seems to have done the fruit injustice. The flesh is also used to make deserts such as dodol, durian milkshakes and even durian jam. The Malay community favours the practice of adding prawn paste to salted, preserved durian flesh (tempoyak). Another popular method is to preserve the flesh with brown sugar, then boil or fry it, to suit ones taste (lempok). More recent applications include durian puffs, durian chendol and durian ice-kachang. Durian seeds are also edible and are served either boiled, baked or fried.
Medicine
It is said that the Chinese have a preference for washing their hair with an acid that is extracted from the fruit. Apparently, the acid has mild antiseptic properties.
Others
Traditional Chinese folklore has it that a combination of durians and alcohol can create a lethal cocktail. The Chinese believe that the mixture is too 'heaty' for the body and may consequently result in death. While doctors have done little research on the subject, the general advice is to play it safe and avoid such a combination.
Variant names
Common name: Durian.
Scientific name: Durio zibethinus.
Thai name: Thurian.
The word Durio was established by Adnanson in 1763, derived from the Malay word duri which means "thorns." Zibethinus was established by scientist Murray in 1774 . He named it such as the fruit's repugnant smell was reminiscent of Zibetto, which is Italian for "civet cat".
Author
Annalisa Dass
References
Allen, B. M. (1967). Malayan Fruits (pp. 94-99). Singapore: Donald Moore Press.
(Call no.: RCLOS 634.09595 ALL)
Burhill, I. H. (1966). A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. (pp. 885-889). Kuala Lumpur: Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives.
(Call no. RSING 634.909595 BUR)
Hutton, W. (1996). Tropical fruits of Malaysia & Singapore. (pp. 20-21). Hong Kong: Periplus Editions.
(Call no.: RSING 634.6 HUT)
Piper, J. M. (1989). Fruits of South East Asia: Facts and Folklore. (pp. 17-22). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: SING 634.60959 PIP)
Rich allure of the king of fruits. (1996, January 24). The New Straits Times, p. 6.
Further Readings
Keon, M. (1960). The durian tree. New York: Simon & Schuster.
(Call no.: RCLOS 823.91 KEO)
Lim, T. K. (1990). Durian: Diseases and disorders. Kuala Lumpur: Tropical Press.
(Call no.: R 634.609595 LIM)
Durian Online. (1995-1997). Durian Online (DOL). Retrieved August 7, 1999, from www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~durian/
Gibson, P. (n.d.). Durian. Retrieved August 7, 1999, from fly.hiwaay.net/~pgibson/durians.html
The information in this article is valid as at 1999 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history on the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
