In Malaysia, durian season is basically one long eat-fest. Perched along roadsides, on street corners and in durian shops across the country – durian traders display their wares, sweat glistening as they hack into rotund spiky spheres, breaking apart the whole fruit to reveal hollows and chambers filled with fleshy durian orbs lined prettily inside. Often the smell alone is enough to evoke a visceral reaction – from oohs and aahs of pleasure to visible salivation.
Durian flesh itself can vary – from a burnished orangey hue akin to a glorious sunset all the way to plebeian egg yolk shades and everything in between. Tastes also run the gamut – from thick, luscious and intensely creamy to thinner, runnier flavours with a less opulent mouth feel. Regardless of size, taste or even texture, one thing remains immutable: in Malaysia, durian is king and everyone wants a piece of it.
And yet, while we enjoy the fruit as is, it doesn’t really get utilised much outside of this – with the exception of durian-themed desserts (think durian puffs, durian cheesecakes) and tempoyak (fermented durian). Many Malaysians are purists in that sense – why dilute and douse the natural wonders of durian with alien ingredients and concepts? In the food world, eating durian is the equivalent of celebrating natural beauty – thorns and all. The Durian Cookbook pays homage to durian but also offers ways to celebrate it in meals instead of simply on its own.
But the introduction of The Durian.