Monday, June 27, 2005

Sunday Shoot: Fruit

Durian-man

Durian, like Lord of the Rings the world's population can be categorized into two neat groups, either those that love it to death or hate it like hell. Many unfamiliar pallates not familiar with this thorny fruit, often hailed as the king of fruits, may not be under any suspician that it is a potentially lethal weapon to the uninitiated. Durian season often occurs once a year though certain plantations have worked out a system to supply the fruit year round. Once you braved the thorny outer husk, try whiffing the smell of the fruit. Some will recoil with utter disgust as Adrian's friend from Japan found out while others will claim there isn't any other aroma sweeter than this heavenly body. It's so pungent certain places (airports and hotels) have outlawed this fruit from being brought into their premises.

To be fair there are various types of durian with different textures, consistency, flavour, taste and of course smell. Some may like the custard looking firm D24 (often touted as the best among the lot) while others may settle for the watery puke looking white flesh varient. Different regions within Malaysia too boast that their kind are the best among the competition. Whatever the criteria the only real test to whether one will become a durian fan is to actually taste one.

I wouldn't be surprise that Fear Factor would use this in their stunt one day seeing how foreigners react to it, though there are some converts to the Durian cult. For me I love durian, not all the variety, I still like the form sweet kind and shun the more bitter fruits. The only wat to select a good durian is to open the fruit and smell it, some of the stall owners are kind enough to open the fruit and if it not up to quality decline payment. Prices can be steep too depending on the type and place. Usual prices range from RM10 and above for a kilogram. So if you're ever down in Malaysia, this is one experience you must try, like tasting balut in the Philippines.

Durian

The stall owner opening the fruit to reveal the golden bodies inside.

Durian02

Displaying the quality fruit to potential buyers.

Durian01

Durian on display.

Durian03

Beware thorny problem ahead, proceed with caution.

Choosing

Buyers selecting the perfect fruit.

Durian05

The final product from your efforts in breaching the fruit.

5 comments:

Applegal said...

Actually I think they already did on Fear Factor :) I heard about them having some dice which they have to throw to determine what they were to eat: Durians, pig brains, and other disgusting things. The person who got durian said that pig brain was better. HAHA!!! If there were any Malaysians around, I think they'd straightaway squat down and eat the durian - "Hah? This is the challenge? Not lunch meh?" XD

problogger said...

One Durian cost around 2000 yen in Japan.. that is around RM70...

So durian in Japan.. can see but no eat for Malaysians hahaaa

Kamigoroshi said...

Well...I'm one of those people that really really hate Durians. I mean...enough that I would actually vomit should I be forced to take it. Durians have one purpose and one purpose only on thise planet. Biological warfare. Think about it. If people in Melaka were to lob a couple of these in the direction of the invading Portugese. We'd never have been colonised...:P

5xmom.com said...

Kervin
I read that in KK they got red colour durians? Do take a photo for me if you see one. I mean the flesh is red in colour. The durian season has peaked and now finishing in Penang.

Kervin said...

applegal: most of the stunts involving eating in fear factor takes a lot of obscure (at least for gwai los) and make them sound so unpalatable. Century eggs, grub worms and yes even balut is a favored dish in their respective country and culture so a bit of like kutuking us.

mmulibra: Always heard that things like watermelon there like way expensive and such a novelty since only certain regions in the south grows them, here its so diry cheap we hardly give a though to it.

yvylyn: Put a chinese there and he'll say "Wow free lunch!" hahaha. Also yes there are some fanatic foreigners that would put own durian lovers to shame with the amount they can put away XD

kamigoroshi: Haha leathal weapons like I said why do you think they ban it in airplanes? After the terrorists use them to whack the pilot in the head and also as gas grenades to faint all the people in the cockpit. As for disliking durian, well can't complain lots of other things I don't take in as well such as bittergourd.

5xmom: Yeah seen those before, it's a type of jungle durian, fruit is quite small and not much meat, mostly available in the interior and only during certain seasons. Will keep a look out of it for you :D