Uniquely grown in the South East Asian region, the king of fruits, durian is pretty much a love it or hate it sort of delicacy.
Growing up tasting this food, I fall into the “love it” camp. However, I do agree that the smell can be pretty off putting for the uninitiated. Anthony Bourdain who is a great lover of durians said that after eating your breath would smell like you have been french-kissing your dead grandmother!
I’ve heard that different durians types smell distinctively different and there hasn’t be any concrete science to how durian gets its smell. Red flesh durians are supposedly almond smelling but I’ve yet to try it for myself.
Having durians for me is best enjoyed with family or a big group of friends. The more the merrier! And in traditional style, we would head over to KL and have our durians by the roadside durian stalls especially during the durian season (June to August) where competition among durian sellers get feisty!
It is true that if you take durian you should never take alcohol because it inhibits your body from effectively clearing the toxins from the alcohol from your body and in large amounts may result in death! So be warned!
Usually eating durians will cause me to have a sore throat the next day and I try not to have it too often. But when I do have it, I go all out! Mum tells me that gargling salt water drunk from the durian husk can reduce the “heatiness” and counter the problem I have with durians but I haven’t tried it! Have you tried it? Does it work? Or what other method do you recommend?
