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Durian, Asian fruit monarch origin, application, fascinating facts
Table of Contents
1. Durian - Origin
Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) is a fruit of the family Bombacaceae. Its name derives from the Malay word duri, which means spike. It is also known in the industry as durian or coconut. Durian originates from Southeast Asia and the neighboring islands. It can be found wild in southern Taninthayi, Lower Burma, and around villages on the Malay Peninsula. It is commonly grown along roads or in gardens from southeastern India and Ceylon to New Guinea. Apart from Asia, durian is also cultivated in Australia, Central, and North America. Thailand is the largest exporter of durian fruit.2. Durian – a tropical tree
Durian is a tropical plant that requires abundant water for proper growth. In India, it blooms on the banks of rivers where its roots can reach water. It grows best in deep alluvial or clay soils. It usually blooms in March and April or in September and October. Durian trees are very tall, reaching up to 40 m in height. They are straight, with short straight soil and an irregular crown with roughly thin branches that are covered with young green or copper branches. The leaves are long, lanceolate or elliptical, oval, rounded at the base, and pointed at the end. From above, they are dark green and shiny, from below they are covered with gray or brownish-red hairs. Durian has trifoliate flowers in colors from white to golden-brown. Durian is called the "king of fruits" because of its size and weight – durian fruits can weigh up to 4 kg and 40 cm long. They are covered with a thick greenish or yellowish skin with thorns. Inside the fruit is a creamy edible core with pudding-like consistency. The fruits fall to the ground, where they ripen. They are very perishable. After falling from the tree, they become fully ripe within 2-4 days and are not consumable after 5 or 6 days.3. Durian - Taste and Aroma
There are many varieties of durian, with about 300 self-named. Although a few are odorless, Barrett notes that durian has a strong odor, even a stench, reminiscent of rotten meat and moldy cheese. However, each is associated with something else. Everyone who has ever had the pleasure of smelling durian has certainly remembered it. Plant scientist Otis W. Barrett describes durian as a combination of spoiled meat, rotten cheese, onion, turpentine or garlic, and some specific flavors. After eating the flesh, however, he found that the odor was barely noticeable. According to A. R. Wallace, the durian flesh is a rich cream with the taste of almonds, although one can also detect flavors reminiscent of moldy cheese, onion, sherry wine, and other such products. He encourages the consumption of this fruit, assuring that it does not cause nausea or other side effects, but rather that the more one eats it, the more one wants it. An American chemist working on the U. S. Rubber plantations in Sumatra was initially reluctant to eat durian, but after overcoming his reservations, he became a great advocate. He describes the taste as: "absolutely delicious (. ). Something like a mixture of ice cream, onion, spices, and bananas". Scientists from the German Research Center for Food Chemistry decided to solve the mystery of the unique odor of this fruit. To this end, they took an extract from durian fruits originating from Thailand and analyzed it using a mass spectrometer and a gas chromatograph. It turned out that not a single chemical compound is responsible for the strong odor, but a mixture of various chemical substances. The study revealed that the fruit contains 50 different compounds, including 8 previously unknown to science. In further analysis, the scientists were able to associate each identified substance with a specific odor. They were able to isolate, among others, the odors of burnt onion, garlic, cheese, honey, beef, yeast extract, squid, and leek.4. Durian – Nutritional Content
Durian fruit is a rich source of nutrients. Table 1. displays the nutrient content in 100 g of fruit. An average durian fruit weighs around 600 g. Durian is a source of vitamins from the B group – B1, B2, B3, B6, as well as vitamin C. The fruit also contains magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, and a large amount of fiber. Source: Durian, raw or frozen, USDA, ndb.5. Durian – health properties
Durian has health benefits. The fleshy fruit is used as an effective remedy against cavities. A decoction of leaves and fruit is used in swellings, skin diseases and bathing for people with jaundice. Additionally, it is also employed in traditional Asian medicine as an anti-pyretic medication and a potent aphrodisiac.6. Durian - Utilization in the Culinary World
Durian flesh is usually consumed raw, preferably chilled in the refrigerator, and sometimes cooked with sugar or coconut water. It is then utilized as a seasoning in traditional dishes and desserts of Southeast Asian cuisine. In Indonesia, it is used to prepare a sauce that is combined with rice. In Palembang, however, the flesh is subjected to fermentation, sometimes smoked, and served as an appetizer. The inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula preserve durian flesh in salt to ensure year-round access to it. Unripe fruits are cooked whole and consumed like vegetables. In the gastronomic sphere, durian seeds are also utilized - consumed in boiled, fried, roasted, or dried form.7. Durian - where can I procure it?
Durian can be purchased in stores specializing in Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, in Poland it is very difficult to find. However, there is one online store where the price of this exotic fruit is 250 Polish zloty per piece. Although Asian countries produce a wide range of durian products, such as dried pieces or preserved in syrup in a can, such products are rarely found in Polish stores. However, to experience the taste of durian, one can purchase durian candies, which contain dried fruit pulp, although its amount is not very large, as it is listed only in fourth place on the list of ingredients.8. Durian is intriguing
Due to its distinctive and strong odor, the consumption of durian fruit is forbidden in most public areas across South Asia. This can be an amusing situation for travelers when they see a sign that reads "No durians" while on a train journey (Image 1).9. Abstract
Durian is a highly controversial fruit that, despite its repellent odor, is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. In traditional Asian medicine, it is used as an effective anti-fever and aphrodisiac. In Poland, the availability of this fruit is still very limited, but it is worth trying it during a vacation in Asia.
