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It's the durian season again! The king of Malaysian fruits is back, as popular as ever with the locals. Walk along any busy road in town or visit the market and you can't fail to miss those thorny fruits.

This year has been a particularly good one for durian farmers - the year's harvest has been much more promising than in the last two years or so. And for consumers, this is certainly good news, for it means that they are able to enjoy durians at a lower price. Durian pedlars are not complaining either as business is brisk for more people can afford to buy durians this year.

What is it about durian that makes it so popular? "I just love the smell." "It's absolutely delicious!" These were the comments we got when we asked several durian lovers.

There are many varieties of durians, as durian sellers are quick to point out to you. And the better the taste, the more it will cost. A durian fruit may range from below a dollar to $14 or $15, depending on the size and taste of the fruit.

Durian fruits are usually about 7 inches to 8 inches in length and oval or round-shaped. The larger species may measure as long as 10 inches. Colour may vary from olive to yellowish-green. One thing about the durian which makes it unique from other fruits is its thick spiky rind. Split open the rind and you have the creamy white or yellow-coloured pulp which surrounds the seed. The softness of the pulp makes it easily digestible, and to most Malaysians the durian actually tastes as good as it smells. The Malays describe the fruit as resembling hell on the outside (because of its spiky rind) but heavenly inside - "di luar neraka, di dalamnya syurga".

But that's not all about the fruit. The durian has more to recommend beyond its unique looks and taste. Did you know that the durian is one of the most nutritious fruits around, containing 23 times the amount of vitamin A in the pear and 3 times that in the apple? It also contains almost 5 times the amount of protein present in the apple or pear. In fact, a durian by itself is almost a complete meal. containing ample amounts of protein, fat, carbohydrate and the essential minerals and vitamins needed by our bodies. A 100-gram portion of the durian, for example, contains 2.7 g protein and 27.9 g carbohydrate compared to 0.6 g protein and 13.6 g carbohydrate in the same portion of apple. The same portion of pear contains 0.4 g protein and 15.6 g carbohydrate.

The durian is especially rich in minerals too, and contains generous amounts of calcium, phosphorous, sodium and potassium. Calcium and phosphorous are essential for the development of healthy bones and teeth while sodium and potassium are required by the body for proper coordination of muscle activity.

Vitamins - The durian is a good source of vitamins, containing 23 times the amount of Vitamin A present in the pear and three times that in the apple. and twice the amount of B-vitamins present in either fruit. Each 100 g portion of durian also contains 23.3 mg Vitamin C, almost three times the amount in the apple or pear.

The fruit also has a high energy value and gives 153 calories per 100 grams. Compare this with the same portion of apple which gives 16 calories and pear which gives 64 calories. And some Chinese believe that the durian can help in relieving ailments such as arthritis and pains in the joints. The Chinese also believe that it is absolutely taboo to drink alcohol while eating durians. They believe that taking durians with alcohol could cause death.

The fruit is also often blamed for causing sore throats. But you can prevent this by drinking salt water after eating the fruit. Try this traditional remedy: fill a segment of the durian rind with water, add a pinch of salt to it and drink the water from the rind. This is believed to remove the 'heatiness' (which causes the sore throat, as believed by many) from the body.

NUTRIENT COMPOSITION OF THE DURIAN, APPLE AND PEAR {per 100 g)

TIPS ON CHOOSING DURIANS
How does one choose a durian? Utusan Konsumer recently interviewed a durian expert in Penang for some tips. Mr. Kok has been in the durian business for several years now. He collects durians from various durian farms at Bayan Lepas to sell in town.

"Go for a light durian. It will be more fleshy than a heavy durian of the same size. A heavy durian usually has big seeds, thick husk or wet flesh - all the bad qualities you should avoid," says Mr. Kok. "Shake the durian. You should be able to feel the seeds when you shake it. The durian should also smell nice. Always smell the middle, not the top or bottom. A strong smell indicates maturity. Also look at the stalk. If it's big and solid, it's a mature, good durian," Mr. Kok explains.

Other tips are:

* The durian rind or husk should look good. Don't choose durians with holes even though they may be cheaper - they indicate worms.

* Watch carefully when the durian seller drives his knife into the durian. If the knife comes out sticky, the durian is ripe. If not, the durian is raw.

* Never taste the durian if you intend to buy more than one fruit. You may find the smell lingering in your mouth and confusing your sense of smell when you choose other durians.

TRY THESE DURIAN DELIGHTS
The durian by itself is a delight to eat. If you want variety, you can also serve it with rice as a dish, or use it to prepare delicious desserts. See our recipes for Bubur Durian, Durian Ice Cream and Durian Cakes in the Recipe Section.

DATE: September 1985

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