Durian

[HVRobinson]

Still humming "Jeopardy" theme, have trimmed finger nails, painted same (clear) and examining continues.... Will need to shave shortly.

(Perspiring minds need to know!)

hvr

[Laksa]

Will post on outcome shortly.

←

Just make sure you eat that durian before it starts to turn. I'd hate to see you lose your tempoyak-virginity too - a much less pleasant experience.

[Jamie Lee]

Okay, here's the 411.

I brought my durian to a nearby park, accompanied with a cheap (but sharp) chef's knife, a hammer, lots of newspaper, some paper towels, and the best of intentions.

I have to say, the whole adventure was marred by an unfortunate run-in with an eG member. Call me a princess, or an uppity white-girl, but I expect to be treated with respect, or at least with a modicum of standard polite-ness. (Something for another thread, perhaps.)

As Sazji correctly identified, what I think I had was a previously frozen Thai durian.

Using my knife and a hammer, I broke into the thorny beast.

I never anticipated the outcome.

First, the smell was horrific. I'm 2 weeks off chemo, so throwing up is no big deal. But.... first hurl is down my sweatshirt. (I only had water and a grande latte with skim milk on board).

Second hurl is over the picnic bench seat (as I'm trying to move myself)... Third is safely in the grass.

Not the outcome I'd hoped for. I considered leaving the mess all over the picnic table, but got sane and cleaned up after myself as best I could.

I didn't even taste the stuff.

I know, I know - I've got the big "L" on my forehead. I'm technically still a durian virgin. (Mom, really, I didn't let him go all the way! )

What was I thinking? A weak stomach, 16 weeks of chemo, and I'm gonna tackle the ultimate "don't go there" fruit?

Wish my post was different, but it's not. Durian remains a mystery, and one I will, God allowing, a treat I'll try another time. (Sweat shirt is soaking as we speak!)

Signing off, Jamie.

[Dejah]

It's unfortunate that your "first" turned bad, Jamie. I seem to remember my brother saying that after chemo, anything can be repulsive and make you hurl.

I didn't have chemo, and I felt like vomiting on my first try at durian. I hope your body won't have involuntary association-to-bad-experience next time you try durian. But, it was fun watching you inch towards that dreaded globe.

[Jamie Lee]

Hey, Dejah, it was fun from my standpoint as well.

My sweatshirt is now soaking in the sink, I've showered, and I wish all durian lovers Godspeed.

I may try it again someday.

Jamie

Edited November 8, 2007 by Jamie Lee (log)

[Marlene]

Jamie, you get points for at least trying. I'm healthy, and after reading all the posts here, I'm not at all sure I would have tried it!

[HVRobinson]

Jamie-

I'll second that. Not only can chemo be a real toughie... the fruit is hard on those in full health. Kudos for the attempt. When I was just about 18 (and Nixon was President) I had a strawberry cheesecake slice and a gin and tonic. I still like (and on occasion eat) strawberry cheesecake. Gin and tonic hasn't passed my lips since. Hope you're more open minded about durian.

hvr

[Tepee]

Awww......I was so hopeful...as you didn't find it stinky while it was in your home.

Methinks your durian has started to ferment...on the way to becoming tempoyak (like Laksa suggested). And, I agree with everyone, that you may not be in the perfect shape for an encounter with the King. Now wipe this episode off your mind, so that you can try it again someday.

((HUGS))

p/s Erm....but before you do that, and if the memory is not too painful, do you mind giving a blow by blow account of how you opened it up? Did you draw blood? Were you spent after the effort...perhaps that weakened you further...you experienced double whammy together with the release of the cooped up fumes.

Edited November 8, 2007 by Tepee (log)

[Jamie Lee]

Tepee:

Opening was a total bitch! I bought leather gloves because I don't heal well right now (chemo consequences) and I have to be very careful about possible infection.

I wrapped the sucker up partially in a couple of dish towels, and used my cheapest knife. (I used a cheesey knife sharpener beforehand.)

It never split open naturally, although I waited almost a week.

I also never could find the "lines" of the segments, but after reading the posts here and watching youtube clips of others (!) (Don't ya just love the internet! ) I decided it was time to try.

Damn, those spines are sharp! A few went right through my leather gloves, and yes, right into my fingers. Draw blood? Yup.

I couldn't hack through the rind using the knife alone. Usinf the hammer, I managed to drive the knife far enough in so that I could pry it open the rest of the way.

That's when it all went south. Husk on, it just smelled like any number of super-sweet tropical fruits. Once compromised, it smelt like vomit - which is, of course what I did.

Nothing is more humilating that 1- puking on yourself, 2 - puking all over a public picnic table or 3 - just generally puking in a public space.

Sure did scare the hell out of the fitness gurus out for their daily jog! ha ha

Edited November 9, 2007 by Jamie Lee (log)

[Tepee]

Thank you, Jamie. I love it that you still maintain such a great sense of humor despite the not very pretty experience. Wishing you healing for the punctured fingers and pride....

Edited November 9, 2007 by Tepee (log)

[_john]

does anyone have some definitive information about eating the seeds? Are they good?

Do they need to be boiled and then roasted? How do you eat them?

[Keith_W]

Hi John, the seeds can be boiled or roasted. It is high in starch and protein. After cooking, remove the skin and eat it like a potato - or cut it up and use it as an ingredient in another dish - e.g. curries, soup, etc. Yes it is good, but not as good as the flesh

[Jenni]

I've always thought durian are very similar to jackfruit, and jackfruit seeds are great. Sort of chestnut like.

[threestars]

I've always thought durian are very similar to jackfruit, and jackfruit seeds are great. Sort of chestnut like.

I thought of that too when I was a child and then I realized that Durian stinks more than the Jackfruit. And that the I love the jackfruit much better compare with Durian. The Jackfruit seed is one of my favorite local province specialty here in my part of the world. They dry the seeds and make sugar coated candies out of it.

[Jenni]

Durians are indeed stinkier! I too love jackfruit more, but some of that maybe because I have eaten more of it.

One jackfruit seed dish stays in my mind more than any - the seeds went along with drumsticks (the vegetable, not chicken!) in a delicious gravy made from freshly grated coconut, chillies, some other spices I can't remember and turmeric. This was eaten in Kerala. Wish I had a full recipe. I know I have something written down somewhere but I don't have access to it atm.

[haresfur]

White cockatoos in the Top End develop taste for durians, the world's stinkiest fruit

Mr Siah said durians had a hard, spiky exterior, and the cockatoos with their "steel beaks" had found a way to crack into the fruit and access the creamy, yellow flesh inside. "It's just a recent thing," he said. "We used to have a farm down the road that grew melons and the cockatoos and corellas stayed down there at this time of the year, so we didn't have much of a bird problem. "But that [land] is now becoming a croc farm and cockatoos don't like crocodiles, so they've immigrated down to neighbouring farms and some have started liking a taste of durian."

 

Mr Siah said the first durians of the season were fetching more than $30 a kilogram wholesale, meaning the cockatoos "were picking the most expensive fruit in town". He said despite the pressure from birds, as well as extreme temperatures, he expected a reasonable harvest this year of up to 15 tonnes. In 2014-2015 Mr Siah travelled the world through a Nuffield scholarship to study alternative and cost-effective methods of deterring birds and bats from destroying crops.