(a)
GRADING A DURIAN
To grade a durian, the stringent criteria involve
taste, smell and texture. The ideal fruit must have:
a rich aroma.
a silky-smooth flesh texture.
succulent but firm flesh.
a perfect mix of bitter and sweet tastes.
The best quality fruit are the pedigree breeds from Malaysia and Thailand, cultivated specifically to obtain the desired taste and quality. Nameless durians, which are not cultivated specifically for quality and taste, cost less and their standard may vary. Some may rival the best, with the same enchanting aroma and voluptuous flesh, while others taste plain bad. For a guaranteed top-notch durian, it is always safer to buy a "branded durian".
(b) MALAYSIA'S BRANDED
DURIAN
D24 (the kingpin of durians)
It is very fleshy, with small seeds.
The pulp is a regal yellow hue and has a smooth
texture.
It has a rich aroma, and a bitter-sweet taste.
There are three grades within this brand. The
top grade is $18 per kg, second grade is $15 and third grade, $10. (1999s
price in Singapore Dollars)
X0
It is very fleshy, with small seeds.
The pulp is a bright yellow colour.
It has a stronger bitter taste compared to
other durians, but the bitterness is mixed with sweetness.
Hong Xia, 13
It is named after its red flesh colour (as
hong xia means red prawn in Chinese)
Its flesh may not be as abundant.
it tastes predominantly sweet with a slightly
bitter aftertaste.
Priced at $8 per kg.
101
The pulp has a reddish hue.,
It is very sweet with a slight bitter edge.
Priced at $ 10 a kg.
D2
It is fleshy with small seeds.
The pulp is bright yellow, with an occasional
tinge of orange.
It has a mingled sweet and bitter taste.
Priced at $12 per kg.
Merah
This is also known as the "ice-cream durian",
because it tastes better chilled.
It is fleshy with small seeds.
The pulp has a pale yellow colour.
It has a mingled sweet and bitter taste.
Priced at $15 per kg.
Dawau
This also tastes better refrigerated.
It is fleshy with small seeds.
It has a stronger bitter taste with lingering
sweetness.
Priced at $15 per kg.
D15, Fu Luo Shan
It is very fleshy with small seeds.
The pulp is a golden yellow colour.
The taste is sweet, with a bit of bitterness.
It is priced at $4 per kg.
D4
It is fleshy with small seeds.
The pulp, has a whitish-yellow colouring.
The taste is predominantly bitter.
Priced at $8 per kg.
Golden Pillow
This is so named possibly because of its big
size.
It is fleshy with small seeds.
The pulp is golden in colour.
It has a predominantly sweet taste with a slight
bitter bite.
Priced at $8 per kg.
Ganja
It is fleshy with small seeds.
Pulp is a canary yellow colour.
It has a smooth texture.
It is predominantly sweet.
Priced at $8 per kg.
(d)How
to choose a good durian
Every year, with the coming of the durian season,
the air is filled with a heavy 'odoromatous' presence; 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. This is all "bull-sh**" or shall I say "cow-dung" so as not to offend the Women's Liberation Movement. 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:
a)Squirrel holes
Durians with squirrel holes are generally ripe
and quite tasty as the squirrel who has been at it would gladly testify.
However, these durians are considered 'second paw' (second hand) and being
minus a few seeds should be purchased only after a generous discount.
b) Worm holes
Durians with worm holes have worms and other
creepy crawlies in them and should be rejected unless, of course, you are
one of those lovers of Swiss Cheese.
c) Man-made holes
These are small triangular openings cut into
the durian so that the customer could have a sneak preview of the fleshy
quality of the durian. Obviously if the durian is still there, it has been
rejected. Would you take someone's reject?
d) Open backside type
Durians with their bottoms which are gaping or
beginning to gape have seen better days - 2 or 3 to be precise - where
they have been paraded, manhandled and put back on the shelf, rejected
by all and sundry. Leave them in place.
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. No, not your head, you idiot!
Stop and listen intently. If you hear some movement inside, examine the durian again as you may have missed out some small worm holes and there may be creepy crawlies moving inside the durian. If there are no worm holes and no creepy crawlies and you still hear something moving, then I suggest you go to the nearest E.N.T. specialist or Chinese barber to have your ear examined for creepy crawlies.
Pardon my digression. 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 which separates the men from the boys.
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 yourself a durian with a thick, creamy, treacle like, bitter sweet tasting flesh for you to savour and enjoy. And finally, as for the proper and correct way to open durians, bring them to me .......
Source: "How to choose a good durian <http://www-personal.usyd.edu.au/atan/durian.html>" © 1989 Dr. Alfred Tan. All rights reserved.
Additional Notes: http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/5301/facts.htm
(e)
Other facts to those who despise or dunno what is a DURIAN
· Durians ARE FRUITS...not pieces of yellow
sh*t.
· Durians SHOULD never be used to attack
someone.
· Durians DO NOT come from another planet.
· Durians ONLY grow in South East Asia
· Durians CAN ALSO be eaten by ah mos
or gweilos or simply...caucasians.
· Durians ARE not poisonous.
· Durians COME from trees.
· Durians ARE the best when fresh.
· Durians ONLY fall at night...so never
walk under a durian tree at night
· Durian TREES are very tall...15m-40m.
· Durians are BANNED from some countries.
· Durians are only ENJOYED by people who
knows whats good food.
· Durians ARE ONLY air freighted by Cathay
Pacific.
· Durians SMELL lovely
· Durians DO NOT smell bad. People who
hate the smell.....GET YOUR NOSE CHECKED OUT!
· Durians are NICE. BUT NOT THAI DURIANS....MALAY
DURIANS ARE THE BEST.
and finally.....
· DURIANS RULE THE WORLD.....or at least
in South East Asia.