Mar 15 2009
The Durian: Another Postcard from Malaysia
You may remember that I participated in the Link/Postcard Exchange of 2009 courtesy of Lynne from A Malaysian Abroad. My second postcard showed “a roadside hut selling Rambutans and Durians—The King of local fruits” which intrigued me enough to do some more research on the Durian and found some interesting facts:
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The fruit is known for its large size, thorny outside, and, apparently, unique odor. Lynne mentioned the smell on her postcard—“you can smell them a mile away!”
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According to Wikipedia: “The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Regarded by some as fragrant, others as overpowering and offensive, the smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust. The odour has led to the fruit’s banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia.”
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The fruit comes from Brunei, Indoneisa, and Malaysia.
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Depending on the ripeness, the outside flesh can be eaten.
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The fruit is used in Malay candy, ice kachang (a special dessert from Malaysia), cookies, and ice cream (among other things).
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There are more than 30 “species” that produce the Durian and depending on the region, some people have a preference for certain species.
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Some folk beliefs in Asia include the idea that the Durian causes the eater to sweat profusely, it’s harmful when eaten with coffee or alcohol, and that it’s an aphrodisiac.
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A saying in Indonesian, ketibaan durian runtuh, translates to “getting a fallen durian” and means receiving an unexpected luck or fortune.
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It’s funny, Ravyn totally deconstructed the durian too! When I get around to talking about Malaysian fruit, for the durian I’ll just to point people to you two!
Thanks for the second round of posts about the postcards! You went above and beyond the exchange parameters! Thanks!