Did you know that there are over 30 different kinds of durians out there and that there are many farmers who cultivate durians with different sizes and tastes all around Asia? Keep reading to find out everything you didn't know about the king of fruits
Durian is a fruit that you either love, or hate. Around Asia, it is quite the celebrated delicacy....one which you can smell from a mile away. This tropical fruit is known for its meaty texture, spiky exterior, and pungent odor. Many chefs around the world have incorporated it into desserts and main dishes on their menus too, creating adventurous specials and head turning bites.
If you can't get enough of the king of fruits, keep reading to find out some facts about it that you probably did not know about.
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1. You know the durian is ripe once it falls from the tree
To know if a durian is ripe, you have to wait for it to fall from the tree. In fact, many farmers in the past used to sleep in their orchards just to hear the fruit drop. However, durians become increasingly costly and precious over the years. According to Tommy Lin, a durian enthusiast who organises local tours and tasting sessions, fruits are now not allowed to drop to the ground as it will hurt how high they can be priced.
"So now, farms install big nets underneath the trees where it is possible, others deploy workers to climb and tie the strings to the durians stem so that when it ripens, it gets detached and drops but will not hit the ground and damage the thorns," he said.
That said, not everyone would enjoy ripe durians.
Mark Ng, a food experience partner from Johor Bahru restaurant Simply Enak, said: "In Thailand, some of them prefer unripe fruit mainly to make into durian chips. Once it is ripe, the flesh is soft. So, to make it into chips, you need them to have a hard texture. So you harvest them when they are still on the tree."
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