← Botanical Garden Silimalombu
Made from this plant – available in our shop
Basic Information:
The durian is the fruit of several tree species belonging to the genus Durio. There are 30 recognised Duriospecies, at least nine of which produce edible fruit, with over 100 named varieties in Indonesia, 300 in Thailand and 100 in Malaysia. Durio zibethinus is the only species available in the international market: other species are sold in their local regions. It is native to Borneo and Sumatra.
Named in some regions as the “king of fruits”, the durian is distinctive for its large size, strong odour, and thorn-covered rind. The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres (12 in) long and 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs one to three kilograms (2 to 7 lb). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species.
Some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance, whereas others find the aroma overpowering with an unpleasant odour. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as rotten onions, turpentine, and raw sewage. The persistence of its odour, which may linger for several days, has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in southeast Asia. By contrast, the nineteenth-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described its flesh as “a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds”. The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of savoury and sweet desserts in southeast Asian cuisines. The seeds can also be eaten when cooked.
Nutrition, Traditional Use and Research
The statements below describe nutrition facts, traditional use and published research. They are not health claims for our products.
- In Southeast Asia, durian is traditionally regarded as a “warming” food and is sometimes believed locally to increase vitality. There is no scientific proof for this belief.
- Durian is rich in energy: 100 grams are reported to provide about 21% of the daily carbohydrate requirement.
- Durian contains B vitamins, potassium and calcium, which are important nutrients for normal body functions. Calcium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth.
- Durian contains the amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin. Folk tradition says that durian may help with sleep; this has not been demonstrated in scientific studies.
Fun Facts:
- Although the durian is not native to Thailand, Thailand is ranked the world’s number one exporter of durian, producing around 700,000 tonnes of durian per year, followed by Indonesia and Malaysia
- Anthony Burgess, a British novelist said that eating durian was like eating berries in the lavatory
- In North Sumatra, the petal of durian flower is cooked. Durian seed is roasted, grilled or fried
- Durian is not really harvested in conventional sense. When the fruit becomes ripe, it falls off from the tree automatically. The fallen fruits are then picked up and sold. Well, given the size of the fruit, a falling Durian can be risky for any passerby. To prevent accidents, large nets are tied up with the trees at a certain height so that the falling fruits don’t lead to any mishap
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian
https://organicallyblissful.com/entertainment/fun-facts-week-durian/