The ‘bad boy’ of the fruit kingdom is really just a sweet softie. Amy Van breaks through the thorny exterior to find out the allure of the durian

Nothing stinks like a durian. Okay, let’s be fair: it’s hard to come up with another fruit that’s as pungent as a durian, its scent wafting through the sturdiest packaging. It’s also hard to name a second country that bans a type of fruit from its public transport. In Singapore, durian gets its own warning sign in train stations and buses, right next to the ones that proclaim ‘no food and drink’, prompting one of my newly arrived American friends to ask, ‘Isn’t durian a type of food?’

But durian aficionados will gladly teach you the finer points of the thick, spiked fruit: how to find ones with golden, creamy flesh; smooth, rich custard texture and subtle bittersweet aftertaste. They shun those that aren’t meaty or velvety, with insipid taste and mushy texture. Since durian season is winding down in Singapore (June to August), TOS sought out the lastminute basics of our ‘national fruit’.

Classified information
Native to Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia, this seasonal fruit now grows in many countries, including Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and India. Durians are categorised differently across the region. Some Malaysian plantations invent names – like Golden Phoenix and Green Bamboo – for species based on their distinctive shape or colour. In Thailand there are more than 200 species, with each variety classified by the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (that’s a mouthful). They include the Chanee (D123), characterised by its yellow, creamy, sweet flesh that becomes bittersweet when over-ripe; and the yellow, creamy, sweet and firm-fleshed Kan Yao (D158). The Mon Thong (D159), which means ‘golden pillow’, is yellow with delicate, sweet flesh. What we eat here are typically Malaysian durians exported to Singapore within a day of falling from the trees. In fact, 90 per cent of Singapore’s durians come from Malaysia, with the remaining ones imported from Thailand and Indonesia. The standard market price in Singapore is between $15 and $20 per kilo.

The great debate
Can other durians compete with the intense flavour of the Malaysian variety? ‘Between Malaysian and Thai durians, Malaysia is definitely the winner,’ says thirtysomething durian fan Joanna Tan. ‘There is more variation in texture (creaminess) and flavours (sweet/bitter) to suit a cross-section of preferences. Thai durians can be very good and fleshy, but they don’t always have that depth of flavour. The gold standard of durian for me is the Kunyit from Malaysia. The first time I had it from a stall in Geylang, I thought I was going to be intoxicated! It has this incredibly rich bittersweet flavour that just completely consumes you with every bite, and the flesh was so thick.’

Which begs the question: where can you find the ‘intoxicating’ variety? For decades, durian buffs have flocked to a particular makeshift stall at the Tanglin Village car park on Dempsey Road. It is only open for about six to eight months a year, roughly between April/May to July/August, and then from November through February (depending on the weather and how well the trees bear fruit). Another favourite spot is the row of more than 20 durian stalls strewn along Sims Avenue in Geylang, where competition is fierce but friendly. Stall owners even allow exchanges of fruits if you are not satisfied with the yellow nuggets you’re inhaling.

717 Trading (Highland Centre, 22 Yio Chu Kang Rd; 6287 7717) has been a honey pot for durian fiends ever since it split open its first husk in 1973. With nine outlets (its main branch is at the Highland Centre), the company now operates from a factory at Changi Prison. Under the auspices of the Yellow Ribbon Project (a community programme staffed by inmates and former prisoners), 717 also churns out durian cakes, puffs, puddings and pies using pure durian pulp. Like many toptier durian importers, 717’s durians are picked at dawn in farms in Malaysia, and by late afternoon or early evening those fruits are being sold in Singapore. Owner Kwee Leng Goh notes that the D24 and Mao Shan Wang are bestsellers thanks to their thick pulp and creamy, buttery taste. ‘The texture and taste of the cheaper Malaysian durians cannot compare. The D24 and Mao Shan Wang are much richer,’ Goh says. He also recommends the D1 – which is soft, very sweet and fibreless; and the popular XO – which has a soft texture and slightly bitter taste.

With durian season coming to a close, durian devotees still have time to make their way to these popular stalls to satisfy their cravings. Otherwise, there are heaps of durian products available throughout the year, which can keep palates satisfied until the next season comes along.

---

Pulp fact, pulp fiction
Durian is classified as a ‘heaty’ food in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but any discomfort can be offset by drinking water flowed from the empty durian husk. This is also said to help get rid of durian breath.

An alternative method is to complement durian with mangosteens or a cool coconut drink, both of which have cooling properties that balance the durian’s ‘heatiness’.

A common belief is that durian is lethal when consumed with liquor. There is no evidence of this. However, the fruit is loaded with calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat. Alcohol may, in fact, lead to excessive ‘heatiness’, resulting in sore throats or dry coughs. Durian has high potassium content, so those with kidney and heart conditions should not overindulge. Diabetics and those with high blood pressure should also limit consumption.

Durian delights
Durian is a widely used ingredient in ice cream, milkshakes, mooncakes, puffs, rolls, sticky rice and ice kacang. Lately, creative chefs have been injecting the sweet pulp into éclairs, pancakes, pies, crêpes and crumbles.

Since 1983, Goodwood Park Hotel’s annual Durian Fiesta has been a big hit among locals. This year, the hotel unveiled ten types of pastries and cakes made with D24 durians. Besides the standard puffs and mousse cakes, novel creations by chef Alvin Tan included durian pandan and coconut cake and durian Oreo cake.

The Regent’s chef, Philip Lee, who reinvented the durian mooncake back in 2001 (when he was working at Goodwood Park Hotel) has rustled up his rendition of snowskin mooncake with durian and white lotus paste this year.

Swissôtel Merchant Court’s famous durian pengat, a Peranakan dessert of smooth durian paste topped with gula Melaka, is a highlight at Ellenborough Market Café’s buffet dessert counter. This month, the hotel is launching a Singapore heritage food promotion where a free flow of fresh durians is available at the alfresco dining area.