IT has been described in so many ways, with its custard-like texture likened to Crème brûlée or nut butter; but any interpretation of the King of Fruits is undoubtedly a tasteful delight.
In recent years, the fruit’s pungency has become the star of its own show. People all over the world flock to durian farms and go on tours in search of durian.
To learn more about the nation’s much beloved fruit, the New Straits Times spent a day interviewing two durian experts.
The first is Chang Teik Seng, 58, who resides in the Bao Sheng durian farm. Chang took over the 66-year-old durian farm in Balik Pulau and turned it into a favourite durian spot where visitors can not only enjoy a durian tasting experience, but also learn about farming and tips on how to pick a good durian.
The other expert is Lindsay Gasik, 30, an American who has travelled across Southeast Asia for the love of durian. Gasik has written two books on durian — The Durian Tourist’s Guide to Thailand and The Durian Tourist’s Guide to Penang. She conducts durian tours across Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
UNIQUE HARVESTING METHOD
Every country in Southeast Asia has its way of harvesting durian and each method determines the fruit’s taste and quality.
“Here in Balik Pulau, durian farmers usually attach wide nets from tree to tree to collect falling fruit. We will wait for durian to naturally fall from trees as we believe that the ‘trees know best’.”
Chang said a more mature tree would see durian fall off the branches at a precise moment, especially when they were fully developed. He said nets were placed to prevent the durian from smashing into the ground.
Gasik said the method was used to delay the fruit’s ripening process. She said when a durian hit the ground, the impact would activate the fruit’s lactobacillus bacteria, which could speed up the ripening process.
“If you do not smash it on the ground, then you will have to wait for it to ripen naturally.”
When touring his farm, Chang took an Udang Merah durian, which had just fallen into a net. The fruit resembled a spinous, moss green jewel.
Chang smashed the fruit on the floor four times and left it for an hour so that its flavours would develop.
He said the method of harvesting with nets was not used in other countries.
He said in Thailand, farmers would pluck the durian.
“Harvesting it before it is fully developed or naturally falls from the tree will stop the fruit from developing complex flavours.
“Its flesh may still be sweet, but you won’t get to taste its distinctive flavours.“
Gasik agreed, saying each country’s durian culture was different.
“That is why Thai durian lovers might not like the durian in Penang because that is not the taste they are used to.”
UNIQUE FLAVOURS
Chang said: “There is a saying among durian farmers that, ‘If I sell you a durian, I am just selling you the fruit; but if I sell you its flavours, I am selling you a culture’.
“Durian is not meant to be gobbled up. It has to be savoured so that you can enjoy its flavours.”
A durian of any variety usually tastes sweet, bitter or fermented (often described as alcohol-like).
Chang said: “Normally, one of the flavours will dominate the others.”
Gasik said the sweetness of a durian also differed, based on the variety and sometimes even
between fruits from the same tree.
She said the fermented flavour developed as the fruit ripened.
“Some might taste sweet like white chocolate, caramel or even burnt sugar.”
Chang said a durian consumed within hours of being harvested (by allowing it to drop naturally) had three unique characteristics.
“It will have a flowery scent. Upon eating the flesh, there will be a numbing sensation on the tongue. Its flavours develop over time and keep changing.
“A durian harvested today might not taste the same as the one harvested the day before.”
Chang said fertilisation of a tree influenced the fruit’s taste.
He said durian from trees of 30 years old and above had superior qualities.
Gasik said this was because durian from older trees had richer flavours as the roots had sunk deeper into the ground, enabling better access to trace minerals. The fertilisation regime and recipe, she said, was a guarded secret of the farmers.
“Like wine, there are more than 200 varieties of durian that you can choose from, depending on your preferred flavour. This makes durian unique.”
Chang said buyers could guess the flavour of a durian by smelling it.
In a demonstration, Chang offered us the Udang Merah durian which he smashed on the floor. The durian was from a 55-year-old tree.
After an hour of letting its flavours develop, Chang cracked open the fruit and asked us to smell the wrinkled, gleaming egg yolk yellow and orangish flesh, which emitted a slightly flowery scent.
After the first taste of the flesh, one could feel a light fizz followed by a numbing sensation on the tongue, while its sweetness suffused the mouth.
Chang said the Udang Merah durian was a “wet fruit”, which meant that it had a higher concentration of water, as opposed to “drier” types.
“A wet fruit glides down the throat easily, while a drier fruit is more sticky with milk-like consistency,” he said, adding that the dry type had a longer shelf life.
The latter trait makes the Musang King variant a favourite among exporters because it freezes well.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A DURIAN
Chang said: “By looking at the exterior of a durian, you can tell its species. You can also gauge a tree’s age, with 50 per cent accuracy, by studying the fruit. Crack open the durian and the flesh will reveal more clues on the tree’s age.”
He said a durian from an aged tree was lighter, had a thinner stalk and shell, smaller seeds, sharper and longer thorns, mudcrack-like surface, as well as brown or rusted spots on the outside.
He said the flesh of a durian from an older tree was more wrinkled, with a variation of colours.
“It might have spots or bruises, and the colour can go from bright yellow to light yellow or slightly orange.”
He said the caharacteristics of a durian depended on its species.
“Udang Merah is usually brown and moss green in colour, while Musang King has a lighter green colour. Black Thorn sports a star shape at the bottom and bits of black spots.”
FARMING
While many farmers are cutting down old trees to grow the newer, more lucrative variant, such as the Musang King and Black Thorn, which could fetch up to RM60 per kilogramme, Chang said he had instead taken measures to preserve his older trees.
To do that, he resorted to organic farming.
“Just like human beings, an aged tree needs a lot of care and we found that the best way to take care of our trees is to switch to organic farming.
“This means we do not use pesticides, weedkillers and artificial fertilisers or inject the trees to make them flower. Back then, we used manure. But now we use biodynamic fertiliser.”
He believed the method would prolong the life of durian trees and yield higher quality fruits.
“If money is my priority, I would use chemicals to help me achieve two harvesting seasons a year. However, I am more interested in producing quality durian and that is why I have maintained organic farming methods for the past 30 years despite the challenges.”
He said older trees were hardier and tended to fare better than younger trees.
“It takes seven years for a tree to mature, while a bud-grafted tree takes about three years to do the same. This is when trees require the most care.”
Gasik, however, said there was a minimal difference in the taste and quality of durian from organic farms and farms that used chemical fertilisers.
She said the most important thing was to ensure that durian trees were well taken care of to bear quality fruit.
“An old tree that is not taken care of will not produce good durian. There are only 10 per cent of good durian out there, so it’s best to get them right in the peak of the season.”
AVOID BEING FLEECED
Chang and Gasik advised durian lovers to foster good relationships with local farmers.
“Make friends with a durian farmer and get your fruits there. You will not only get fresh durian, but also affordable ones,” Chang said.
He suggested checking the fruit’s characteristics online.
“When someone shows you a Musang King, look at a picture of a Musang King online and compare.”
Chang said it was important to ask for the price before opening the fruit.
PERFECT PAIRING
Chang said a durian was best savoured together with pu’er tea, a fermented tea produced in China.
“This was a tip given to me by a durian lover from China. The alkaline quality of the tea washes the palate.”
He said another good pairing was coffee, which enhanced the sweetness of the fruit.
DURIAN EXPORT
The rush to capitalise on the durian export market has seen many farmers planting the Musang King variant, which is easier to preserve and cost-effective.
Unfortunately, this has led to the razing of old trees to plant the Musang King, thus eliminating the flourishing and commercial viability of other variants with more complex flavours.
“Many are cutting down old trees to plant Musang King. The tree, which is also hardy, requires minimum care, making it cost effective.”