Durian

In the wild, durian is found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, and this plant is cultivated for subsequent export of fruits on the Malacca Peninsula, in Indonesia, as well as Indochina, on the island of Sri Lanka, in the southern Philippines and Thailand, in East Africa and South India.

Meanwhile, durian fruit is the fruit of one of the evergreen trees, the height of which sometimes reaches 40 meters. Large fruits are of considerable size - up to 8 kilograms with a length of up to 30 centimeters. In fact, the durian fruit is a five-leaf box that rests on a long peduncle. It is both round and ovoid in shape. The green-yellow surface of the peel resembles the outer layer of fruits such as jackfruit or breadfruit, as it is strewn with pyramidal projections with several faces.

The mature fruit contains five large (up to six centimeters) shiny seeds, which can be colored in different colors - from pale yellow to reddish brown. These seeds are covered with a thick layer of a special substance - arillus, which resembles pudding in consistency. It can be eaten. In addition, arillus is characterized by an extraordinary aroma and sweet taste, in which nut-cheese notes are felt. The taste of the flesh of ripe durian fruit can also be called sweet, but its smell is quite peculiar - it is obsessive and gives away rotten.

Nevertheless, such specific properties of durian did not prevent this fruit from taking its rightful place in the kitchen of numerous culinary experts. You can make a lot of delicious dishes from it, for example, aromatic milkshakes and magnificent ice cream.

Southeast Asia is characterized by the use of durian fruit as the basis for the preparation of dried fruits. Moreover, the flesh of the fruit is not just dried, but a kind of pastille is made. In this state, the fruit can be stored for a long time, and the taste and benefits of durian remain unchanged.

In Thailand, for example, one of the most popular desserts is Khao Nam Ka Ti Turian, which can be found in all roadside cafes and eateries. This dish is a cup of glutinous rice, which is generously watered with coconut syrup, sweetened with sugarcane juice and chopped with pieces of fresh durian fruit.

One of the favorite Malay treats is durian dodol. Despite the fact that in Malaysia this dish is called a pie, in fact it is a tasty, slightly viscous, frozen baked mass consisting of durian flesh, glutinous rice, palm sugar and coconut milk.