Hail the King of Fruits: Respect your Durian

Durian! This post is a tribute to durian written by a durian lover. Hey, bro, jom makan durian! To be honest, I am a big fan of durians. I can even eat them as my daily meals! Most of us eat durians without knowing their types and names. Our parents are the ones who usually know the market price of durians according to their type, while we, the children, are the ones who just enjoy eating the durians without knowing anything! Bruhhh, we should respect the durian by knowing what we are eating, especially their species first and foremost!

So, check this post out if you want to know your durian and be a ‘durian-literate’ person. 

Durian – ‘king of the fruit’, belongs to the genus Durio. There are about 30 over recognised Durio species. Malaysia is one of the dominating durian fruit exporters in the world. Our country exports durians to China, Singapore, and even the United States! According to the New Straits Time online, our prime minister Dr. Mahathir claimed that “Durians could become a major commodity export for Malaysia.” 

Whether you love it or hate it, here are some of the popular types of durians:

1) Musang King or Mao Shan Wang

The Musang King is also known as the King of durians. The term “Musang” comes from Gua Musang where this breed was first planted and eventually became popular. It is said to be the richest and best-tasting durian to ever been bred. Its texture is rich and creamy with a strong bittersweet taste! The smooth bright yellow buttery flesh can be bitter or sweet within the same fruit. You can identify Musang King by looking for a distinctive star shape at the bottom of the fruit. Due to this breed being highly sought after, it often fetches a high price in the consumer market with RM40-RM50 per kilogram.

Golden Yellow Musang King Flesh

2) Black Thorn

This durian got its name because the tip of every thorn found on it tends to be darker. Another reason for that nickname is because of the fact that there is a small black ‘tail’ at the bottom of the durian. This special breed originated from Penang.

Black Thorn is quite unique with its pale orange flesh. While the flesh is not as thick as Musang King’s, it tastes sweet and custard-like. This breed is quite a rare find find among the countless stalls. According to the New Straits time online, the current market price for blackthorn is RM70 per kilogram.

3) Golden Phoenix

If you do not have a sweet tooth, go for the not too popular Golden Phoenix instead. This type has a sharp and bitter taste complemented with a pale watery yellow flesh and a more pungent smell. It is one of the oldest types of durians as you can only find it growing on old trees. This peculiar Golden Phoenix type originated from the states of Pahang and Johor.

This durian has thin and spiky thorns that look similar to that of a Phoenix. Furthermore, the flesh has a slightly lighter shade of yellow, and not as firm to the touch as compared to Musang King.

“A rich butter like custard high-flavoured with almonds…There is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp…and the more you eat of it, the less you feel inclined to stop.

Alfred Russel Wallace (1865)

The King of Fruits is an acquired taste to say the least, as anyone who has tried it either falls in love with its rich and sweet taste or hates it to the point where they never want to lay their eyes on the pungent fruit ever again. Despite that, it is undeniable that durian brings plenty of health benefits including strengthening cardiovascular health, reducing cholesterol, and reducing the risks of infertility in men and women. Love your durian, my readers!