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How To Choose A Good DurianHow To Choose A Good Durian
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Subjects > Food > Durian Fruit
[Durian Picture Gallery] http://www.chat11.com/Picture_Gallery/plants/fruits/durian/durian08.jpg
Every year, with the coming of the durian season, the air is filled with a heavy 'odoromatous' presence, a kind of incense heralding the arrival of the king of fruits; and the streets are lined with hastily composed pyramidal piles and altars for the King of fruits - the durian.
And every year we are confronted again by the same eternal question of how to choose a good durian.
The first step in choosing a good durian is to grasp the durian that takes your fancy by its stalk and hold it in front of your eyes for close scrutiny. It is advisable while doing this to stand with your legs apart or "kang-kang" as the durian and its stalk may decide, at this very moment, to part company, with disastrous consequences to your foot. If you do not wish to stand in this manner then I would advise you to have safety boots on.
An age old adage says that you cannot judge a book by its cover. But some 'so-called' durian experts claim that they can judge a durian by its thorns, although others say this is nonsense. So why must you look at a durian if you cannot judge a durian by its thorns. It is to look for holes or 'lubangs'.
Durian holes generally fall into four categories:
Now, having given the durian the visual test, you can now proceed to the next important step. Take the durian into your hands, with your fingers gripping the spaces between thorns, approximate it next to your ear at the side of your head and shake the fruit. Listen for movement.
Pardon my disgression. Now why shake the durian, you ask. Good question! Remember the other old adage - 'empty vessels make the most noise'. This holds true for the durian. If you hear vigorous hollow movements of seeds when you shake the durian - the fruit is all seed and no flesh - reject it. If there is no movement at all on shaking, and the durian feels heavy for its size, the fruit is unripe or if ripe, waterlogged. Reject also. If you detect some faint movement and the fruit feels relatively light for its size - go on to the next step - the ultimate olfactory test.
For this step, hold the durian gently in your hands as you would your loved one and place in front of your nose and inhale deeply. If you find dirt, dust and dried leaves in your nostrils, stop at once, and send the durian back to the vendor for a thorough cleaning.
Having ensured that the durian is clean and that there is no impediment in your nasal passages repeat the inhalation process, with both thumbs and thenar eminence cupped to exclude any extraneous smell. If you detect an over rich, strong, fetid odour, it indicates that the durian is overripe. Reject, especially if the stalk looks somewhat dry.
If you detect no smell at all also reject as the fruit is unripe.
But if you detect a faint aroma of bitter sweet butter scotch and almonds with a bouquet of wild honey and a hint of smoked oak then you have hit the jackpot and found yourlself a durian with a thick, creamy, treacle like, bitter sweet tasting flesh for you to savour and enjoy.
Other articles about Durian Fruit :
[Baking America]
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