“Eating durian for the first time means getting a completely unexplored sensation. And for this, really, it’s worth going to the East! ” Mayne Reid.
This exotic fruit is very popular not only among the natives of Malaysia and Thailand, where it grows, but also among many travelers who have visited these countries. The impressions of him are so different that one thing is certain: to understand what kind of a wonder it is, you need to try it. Malaysians and Thais, the main consumers of durian, called him “the king of fruits.” And the tourists, who tasted the fruit for the first time, remain at a loss: why was he crowned? Let’s try to figure it out.
Overview
Durian is a tropical evergreen tree of the family Malvaceae. The most common variety is Durian Cibetin. These are very tall trees. They can reach heights of 50 meters. The leaves of the plant are dense, leathery, oblong, and the flowers are large, with a fragrant sourish aroma. This smell attracts bats, which feed on nectar and pollen of fruit and pollinate it.
Fruits resemble large balls of green. Their surface is densely covered with very hard spikes. Their shell is very hard, it is not broken and flattened, even falling from the great height of this tree. If you look at the peel, you can see that the fruit is divided into five lobes. Their lines are barely marked on the fruit. Inside the thick barbed shell contains tender juicy flesh of creamy, sometimes yellowish-pink color. Its fruits are very heavy and, when ripe, simply fall to the ground and can injure a passerby. They ripen from May to August. Many connoisseurs of this exotic claim that the most delicious representatives ripen in Thailand.
The taste and smell of durian is very difficult to convey in words. He is known mainly for his awful scent reviews, which reminds someone of rotten onions or cheese, someone compares it with the smell of rotten eggs or sewers. But in the book of Mine Reed, his scent is described as “the smell of cream cheese and onion sauce, black sherry and many other things.” Anyway, due to its specific and corrosive aroma, in many countries of Southeast Asia there are rules prohibiting the introduction of this fruit into transport and supermarkets. There was a case when, due to the fruit brought into the aircraft cabin, the flight had to be postponed.
But the taste of the fruit is praised by everyone. Someone reminds him of strawberries with nuts, some cream ice cream, some cherry syrup or almond cream with cream cheese. But all who have tried it, agree that in his taste there is a subtle onion note. Different varieties of durian differ in smell and taste. By the way, it was precisely because of his unique taste that the Malays nicknamed him “the king of fruits”.
This exotic crowned fruit is widely distributed in Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, India and the Philippines. It is also cultivated in countries in Africa and Brazil. Trees grow in a humid tropical climate, mainly in the rain forests of Malaysia and Thailand.
A bit of history
The name of the fruit comes from the Malaysian word “duri” – prickle, thorn. In different languages, it sounds with its own characteristics. For example, in Thailand it is pronounced as Tu-rien. In the English version – civet-cat tree, civet fruit.
There are many legends about this exotic fruit. One of them tells about the appearance of its specific smell. Once, an old loving king saw a beautiful young woman and could not resist her beauty. He dreamed about her for days and nights, but she paid no attention to the old man. Desperate and exhausted, he turned for help to the skilled magician who lived in those parts. The sorcerer reassured the monarch and handed him a hitherto unprecedented fruit, with the help of which a beautiful heartbreaker would fall into his arms. The king suggested that the beauty taste delicious delicious delicacies. The girl could not resist and, having tried it, she no longer resisted the insidious villain. The king completely took control of her. But completely surrendering to his feelings, he completely forgot about the sorcerer. He was angry with the ungrateful monarch and cursed the outlandish fruit of love. When the king again decided to present this delicacy to his beloved, a surprise awaited him: instead of ordinary fruits, huge thorny balls hanging from the stench hung on a tree. The monarch, overwhelmed with rage, threw the fruit on the ground. The shell cracked, and inside it turned out to be the same exquisite delicacy that helped to seduce the impregnable beauty.
Chemical composition
This fruit contains organic sulfur in its composition. The combination of it and the chemical compound indole and awards durian with such a specific sweet-putrid odor.
The energy value of durian is approximately 147 kcal.
Useful properties of durian
Indole, which is part of the fruit is a powerful anti-bactericidal substance, so its use in food is extremely useful for sick people and animals.
Thanks to organic sulfur, which is part of durian, it is able to remove toxins and toxins from the body, normalize the balance of sugar in the blood, fight wrinkles and beneficially affect hair, nails and skin.
Durian bark is widely used in the household. It is used to smoke fish and whiten silk. Wood is used to build masts of ships, as well as for housing.
If you regularly use this fruit, you can clear the airways and lungs, which will certainly come in handy for those who quit smoking. Using it has a positive effect on the nervous system, improves immunity and contributes to the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Durian is a strong aphrodisiac. It stimulates sexual desire, enhances the sexual function of the body. This fruit increases the potency. The Malays even came up with a saying about this peculiarity of the fruit: “When the durian falls, the sarongs rise.” Sarongs are national men’s skirts.
Use in cooking
This fruit is certainly used in the field of cooking. All kinds of sauces, seasonings are prepared from it. Such sweet goodies as jam and ice cream also can not do without it. Durian is used to make exotic Thai desserts. And in Malaysia they are preparing such a national treat as a dodol. Often, dried fruits are made from it, suitable for long-term storage.
Durian Recipes
These dishes are suitable for true gourmets, since the original smell of this fruit does not disappear when cooking.
Durian dodol
For this exotic dish you will need:
- rice – 1 glass;
- egg – 2;
- sugar – 0,5 glass;
- coconuts – 3;
- durian flesh – 250
Cook rice and grind into sticky paste. Collect coconut milk and pour into the resulting mixture. Durian also grind and add eggs. Mix everything and send to the preheated oven. Cook at 180 degrees.
Mint sauce
For preparation it is necessary:
- fresh mint – 1 bunch;
- flesh of durian – 300 g;
- coconut milk – 1 tablespoon;
- sugar – 1 tablespoon;
- salt.
Beat all ingredients with a blender and freeze in the freezer. This sweet mass in Thailand is used as a seasoning for rice. Although this can make great ice cream.
Tubules with durian
For the recipe you will need:
- flour – 2 glass;
- water – 150 g;
- coconut milk – 4 tablespoons;
- flesh of durian – 250 g;
- coconut sugar;
- vegetable oil (coconut is better);
- powdered sugar.
This is a kind of pancakes that are often fried and sold on Thai streets. A kind of fast food. Mix the ingredients in a batter and fry in coconut oil. Durian grind and grease them received cakes. Roll oiled pancakes into beautiful tubes.
Use in folk medicine
Help with constipation
Fiber, which is part of the fruit, helps to improve digestive processes. It absorbs water, during movement in the body – it swells, improves the contraction of the intestinal walls, which prevents the formation of constipation. It is a powerful prophylactic agent and prevents the risk of developing cancer.
Strengthens the nervous system
The high content of B vitamins in this exotic fruit is very valuable for the restoration of nerve endings. Regular use of durian relieves depression and stress, helps to resist panic attacks and panic attacks.
Skin, Bones, Teeth
A high content of vitamin C has a positive effect on the production of collagen. It prevents aging of the skin, increases its protective function. And also useful for bones and tendons. Potassium and calcium healthy nourish the body, saturating its bone tissue, thereby making them stronger. In addition, phosphorus is present in durians, which has a beneficial effect on the health of teeth and gums.
Against diabetes
Due to the manganese contained in the fruit, processes occur that are able to normalize blood sugar levels, thereby preventing the development of diabetes.
For the thyroid gland
In addition to manganese, durians, which have a very beneficial effect on the endocrine system, contain a significant portion of copper. Which is necessary for the natural functioning of the thyroid gland.
How to choose and store
Durian is stored at room temperature for no more than 5 days. It should be located separately from other fruits. And if you put it in the refrigerator, then everything contained in it is saturated with the intrusive smell of fruit. It is best to eat durian immediately after purchase. It is advisable to buy it in the season, because in the off-season often spoiled foods are found. Overripe fruits have a stronger “aroma” and softness. Unripe durian, on the contrary, is very hard. Therefore, when buying, you can put pressure on the fruit, thereby determining the degree of maturity. Also worth a look at the thorns. If they move slightly – this fruit is what you need.
Harmful and dangerous properties
This fruit is contraindicated to use along with alcoholic beverages, since the enzymes contained in its composition can cause a negative reaction of the body and lead to severe poisoning and significant complications subsequently. Durian is not recommended for pregnant women and nursing mothers. It is strictly forbidden to use it for people suffering from high blood pressure. During the consumption of durian fruits, an increase in temperature is possible, therefore it is often called a “hot fruit”.
conclusions
Durian became famous for its specific aroma and exquisite taste. Residents of Southeast Asia call him the “king of fruits” and consider him one of the most delicious dishes in the world. This exotic delicacy contains a lot of useful minerals and vitamins, as well as a large amount of biological sulfur. Thanks to this, it is in great demand in traditional medicine and cosmetology. Its use in food is the prevention of various diseases, positively affects the internal organs and body systems. It contributes to the normalization of the cardiovascular, nervous, immune system, improves digestion and thyroid function. Often used in Thai cuisine to prepare national dishes and exotic desserts. But it is worth remembering that this fruit can not be used categorically for hypertension and mixed with drinking alcoholic beverages. It is worth going to Thailand, if only to get to know this king of fruits more closely, and after that make your own conclusions.
