It's
me, Vibodha here. If you only knew how much Tila (Lisa) despised the Durian,
you would have no trouble guessing it was me talking here. Nirav and I
are certain that she loves her position as the Durian Antagonist of the
World. She certainly loves to 'have a go' at it when there is one around.
Her argument would probably be: 'It wouldn't be so bad if you couldn't smell one from a mile away...' Or something to that effect.
Certainly it smells... a little different from other
fruits. I myself, was very aware of the smell before I got past it and
tasted the delicious insides. Now, I don't even smell them - can you believe
it.
So, what is a durian, you ask?
Botanically
speaking, durian is a member of the plant family BOMBACACEAE, which also
includes the baobab (Adansonia digitata) of tropical Africa, malabar chestnut
(Pachira aquatica), bombax (Bombax ellipticum), silk floss tree (Chorisia
speciosa), and the balsa or corkwood tree (Ochroma pyramidale). Duri is
a Malaysian word meaning “spike.” In the genus Durio are at least 27 or
28 species, 19 of which are native to the island of Borneo (thought to
be Durio’s original center of diversity), 11 to peninsular Malaysia, and
7 to Sumatra. Of 27 species, at least 7 are notable for producing edible
fruit, one of which (Durio zibethinus) is cultivated commercially in huge
quantities in southeast Asia.Grow and Enjoy Durian in Hawaii by Shunyam Nirav.
That's
what a Durian is. It's a spiky fruit, normally quite heavy with pod-like
sections of soft, mushy fruit inside. Opening them is quite a skill, trying
to pry them open makes you aware very aware of the spikes.
Yes,
I know it looks kinda gross. The photo's a bit blurry too. The pods, or
fruit flesh, is usually about the size of your hand. It is soft. Softer
than a banana. And there are usually seeds inside.
You
can't eat the seeds. Just the stuff around them. They taste GREAT. Really delicious. Sometimes they are like a dessert, sometimes like a full, satisfying meal.
But
almost always, gorgeous. (Even if I have to sit out on the balcony and
eat them on my own!)
If you ever get to try one, try it with someone who knows a good one
from a bad one. This way you can assure yourself of a fantastic taste
experience.
Enjoy.