Face-sweating hunt for Durians in Taipei

The worldwide epidemic has forced us to temporarily seek refuge in Taipei where schools are open and life has been relatively normal for the last few months. We are mandated to wear masks by the government but I see that as a very good rule. It forces a person to keep all your nasal and oral bacteria contained to yourself (you pay more attention to your oral hygiene as you can smell your own bad breath) and limits also the dust from the street getting into your lungs. So far, the only reason why I don’t enjoy wearing them is face-sweating. My face skin has never perspired so much on a short walk to the supermarket. It feels just like I’ve had some sort of a steam facial every time I step out of the house.

But does a mask help with filtering out the wafts of ripe durian as you walk through the market?

In the various local fresh food markets, I’ve seen durian for sale at every corner. What kind of durian? I hear you ask. Well… it’s all called “Jin Jen Tou” otherwise known as the Golden pillow or Mon Thong from Thailand. Nothing special. Inferior to most Malaysian durians.  No smell at all. That’s what most Taiwanese know as durian. There clearly is a fascination with it as market vendors stock it amply.

On my twice a week market walk, I noticed that one stall had a few different looking durians. These durians didn’t have the yellow tinge and “bulging muscle” husk morphology. These durians were more lush green, a lot smaller and were less symmetrical. HMMM. Pause. Let’s take a closer look.

I leaned over the makeshift table under the sunbrella.

“What durian are these?” I said, indicating towards the smaller green ones.

“These are Mao Shan Wang” came the stall keeper’s reply.

“Really… where are they from?”

“They are from Thailand” 

“But Thailand does not have Mao shan wang” I continued

“This one is from Thailand” he said confidently,” If you like you can look at the box”.

“Why is there no smell?”

“What do you mean no smell? Is your nose stuck or something? It’s very strong!!”

Sure enough, the box indicated that it was Mao Shan Wang, exported from Thailand. This was really quite an exciting find. I’ve heard before of a lookalike mao shan wang from Thailand and never seen it until now. I pulled down my mask and asked to have a sniff.

Observations:

No distinct smell even though it was ripe and starting to split open (without mask). It had a the triangular thorns but they looked quite wispy towards the tips. The base didn’t look exactly like a mao shan wang at all, but when it came to the relative color of the flesh, it was the closest thing to a mao shan wang.

A little negotiation took place. I reasoned with the stall owner that his durian was looking rather ripe. Would he sell it a little cheaper? How about if I bought two could he give me a special price? We finally agreed on TWD 850 (RM 125) for the two durians, which I think would’ve cost me a fraction of that in KL or Singapore. It would be that price for the real Mao Shan Wang durians in Singapore and KL.

I told the stall owner and his wife I didn’t have my wallet on me but I’d be back to collect them. They cheerfully agreed and started opening the durian and packing it into small individual plastic bags which they then dropped into a box. While they think this is a very hygienic method of packaging, the process by which they get the durian into the bags is far from an aseptic method.

Consuming durian is best done with friends. I called up M & A who had let on in a previous conversation how crazy they are about durian but had never had a Malaysian one before. We planned a durian tasting session that night.

 

Zero gravity durian

In the name of science, people are willing to do crazy experiments. Like crazy expensive experiments. Nothing is too much in the name of science.

The Thai space agency sent a vacuum packed package if Durians into space for a few minutes. Accompanying the Stinky orbiting astronaut were some packets of jasmine rice. (Here’s the article).

In fact, it’s so ridiculous a proposition that I wonder how they justified the cost. Well, here’s the rationale.

“In the future we want astronauts to be able to eat Thai food,” said a spokesperson for Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

Is this Thai astronauts eating Thai food or other astronauts eating thai food? Weird. The thai food that springs to my mind isn’t a packet of dehydrated durian. More like a great phad thai, a som tum salad or a fabulous Tom yum soup.

Any other reason?

“We want to see whether there are any physical changes after it returns to earth, for example it might get smaller, or cracked.”

Err ok... so you want to see if vacuum packaging works well in space or if freeze dried durian may dehydrate some more?

I just don’t get it. Let me know if you’ve heard the results.

Nicely designed dried durian packaging

Most packaging for durians look somewhat cheesy, in the sense that the picture of the durian is too perfect and often placed in a traditional pose on an aluminium foil packet. I liked the play on the fonts and the very bark like colours chosen for the background.

  
This Thai manufacturer actually invested a little more thought and design into their product package and even touts durian benefits… Although this claim is not exclusive to durian alone. 

   

 I didn’t buy it though. Can’t bring myself to handle the disappointment of eating Thai durian ;).

Durian products from Bangkok

Over the last month, SW and I have made a trip to Bangkok and a trip to Vietnam. Both trips were for work but we managed to squeeze out some time to meet friends and have a bit of sightseeing and fun. My mum joined us on the trip to BKK and she proudly told me that she’d bought some Monthong Durian Sweets for an uncle who lives in London. When she tried to give them to my uncle, he didn’t want them, telling her that he was on a diet and was trying to get rid of his huge belly!

Ah well. It all smells pretty good and not too strong. If anyone is reading this post and would like a stick, send me your name and address. I’m happy to put it in the post to you as a gift from Stinky Spikes (as long as stocks last!).

Durians for sale in Kemang, Jakarta

Durian Stall in Kemang, Jakarta

While walking around hot and dusty Kemang, I spied a little mobile truck stall parked on a the corner of a petrol station selling durians. I  had to pause to peruse the wares.

Charmingly named  Faris Durians, it was clear upon closer inspection that they were undeniably from Thailand.

Then I asked about the Medan durians and whether there was a difference? The seller smiled and said it depends on taste (polite way of maybe saying yes, the Medan ones are not very good…). It was clear that the Medan ones were smaller than the Thai ones, and for sure he’d want to sell the imported stuff first.

Faris Durians: Monthong and Medan

Durian Gargle? Durian Handwash?

Please don’t ask me why I found this article but I did. I have a slight obsession with teeth at the moment and it was interesting to read that the husk of the durian has some antiseptic properties which some very entrepreneurial scientists are proposing to make a mouthwash with.

(The bit about toxicity and death in the research aspect of the article is particularly amusing)

Already we know that there is something in the durian pellicle that people believe can make the smell from your hands go away, as long as the water is run through it (see this post). Maybe in addition to considering the mouthwash to combat halitosis, they can make a handwash to combat the trapped aromas on skin surfaces too. Now there’s a new business idea….

From: Dental Tribune

A Durian a day keeps caries away, research from Asia suggests

by Dental Tribune Asia Pacific

LAS VEGAS, Nev., USA: A sugary gel found on the thorn-covered husks of the Durian fruit is currently under observation by researchers for its potential to work as a mouth disinfectant. Students from the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Chulalongkorn in Bangkok, Thailand, recently presented their intitial findings at the Annual Meeting of the American Dental Association in Las Vegas, the online portal drbiscus.com reports.

They found that the substance made of polysaccharides was able to reduce the number of Streptococcus mutans in lab rats hours after use which would make it as effective as 0.2% chlorhexidine, a common formula used in mouth rinses. Studies on human subjects also showed a reduction of hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and dimethyl sulphide, compounds responsible for halitosis or bad breath. No evidence of treatment-related gross toxicity or deaths caused by exposure to mouth rinse with durian polysaccharide gel (DPG) was observed, the researchers stated.

Durian is popular in many Southeast Asian countries including Thailand and Malaysia which are the world’s largest importers of the fruit. It’s root and leaves are often used in traditional medicine.

Earlier research conducted with durian polysaccharide gel have confirmed the antibacterial properties of the gel.

Durian on Airasia

So I was flying back from BKK to Singapore in the late afternoon on Airasia. The flight was completely full, (which is great for them, bad for us) and I had my usual aisle seat. A big chinese guy (BCG) sat next to me and occupied both the arm rests, leaving me to shrink myself as much as possible so that I wouldn’t be injured by the trollies whizzing by.

Most of the flight was uneventful until it was approaching landing time. As the pilot put on the “fasten seat belt sign” and the plane did big circles in the sky, BCG suddenly whipped out a packet from somewhere (not sure which pocket because he didn’t have a bag) and popped some crisps into his mouth. After a few audible crunches, a waft or durian spread around the plane. I don’t think he had any idea of general decorum or that the durian smell could be offensive to others.

After a few crunches, I tried to get his attention: “excuse me” I said politely, no response. Again, but this time a bit more firmly. This time he stopped crunching and turned to look at me and said “she me”

That’s when I realized he was from mainland China, which explained his behaviour and put everything back in focus for me.

Well then, my next aim was to find out why he was eating the durian and what he thought about it.

He told me he bought it while on vacation in Bangkok, the tour guide brought him and his friends (15 of them at the back of the plane) to a shop selling all sorts of snacks including these durian crisps (dehydrated fruit pieces). He bought 3 big packs, which consisted of 6 little packs inside. Altogther it cost him 1000 Baht, which translates to about RM 5-6 per little packet.

Asked about the flavor, he said it was his first time trying durian and he thought it was delicious. He said that it was clear that people have a love-hate on first taste which would make for stimulating discussion back home in Shanghai.

Yes, Shanghai has durian too (usually Thai export) but its usually frozen and he never felt the urge or had the company to try it. Now he wants to try the fresh one, which I told him would have to wait until June-July to get the good ones.

Finally I asked him if I could take a photo of the packet he had. After he popped the last crisp into his mouth, he handed it to me saying that I could have it “for my research”.

I told him that I had also bought some but not of the same brand and he thought that was hilarious…

As you know, most flights including Airasia prohibit durians, but this is certainly one durian snack that you can enjoy on board.

Durians in a healthy freeze dried packet

When I was walking around a shopping mall in Singapore a few weekends ago, I came across a shop that was small but very brightly lit. It had an attractive interior with lots of different colored packages and a very eye-catching advertisement out in the front of the shop with a shelf full of tidbits for tasting. Usually, I’m not one to stop for tasting but my mother was curious and we ended up pausing momentarily at the shelf while she inspected their merchandise.

Durian crisps? Baked and Healthy?

That was certainly enough time for the bubbly sales executive to bounce over to us and proceed to start opening the jars for us to try the samples, each piece about the size of a small fingernail. The samples turned out to be freeze dried fruit and a mixture of vegetables. Mangosteen, Lychee, Longan, Apple, Banana (usual flavors) and Durian. The vegetables included potatoes, tapioca, yam, bittergourd and broccoli (?!). So mum had to ask about each different flavor in turn.

After she tried the mangosteen, “How does the Lychee taste? Is it as sweet as the mangosteen?”

“Yes madam, but it’s quite different, here try a piece… it isn’t the same level of sweetness but we don’t add any sugar” she said cheerfully.

Patiently, she opened up each jar as mother pointed to this one, then that one. I was standing there observing this rather skeptically when I decided to join in, since I wasn’t doing anything else anyway. “Ok, how about the durian? Does it taste good?”

Durian Nutritional Value

Bubbly sales executive couldn’t really tell me much about the product, except that it was known as a health food (well, it is all relative I suppose) and that the brand was local. She didn’t know exactly where the durians came from. Fortunately, it states its origin on the back of the packet. Not surprisingly it came from the enterprising agricultural nation of Thailand, but that in itself disappointed me slightly as I’ve never thought Thai Durian particularly inspiring for its aroma, textures or flavors.

Having sampled the sample, I have to tell you that my verdict was “not bad”. It certainly isn’t greasy like some other ones and if you have a craving, this might satisfy you for a while.

Mother ended up purchasing 3 packets, broccoli, taro and durian.

Various dehydrated snacks from Xndo

At around $5 SGD, this little packet of 50grams of chips doesn’t come cheap (mangosteen goes for even more at $10 SGD). Try strolling by the XNDO store (I don’t know how to pronounce it either) in the basement of Centerpoint Shopping Center next to the supermarket and get the bubbly sales executive to let you sample some freeze dried Durian, Broccoli, Taro, Mangosteen and Lychee too.

 

Durian Search in Jakarta (September 2011)

It was a balmy weekend in Jakarta, the sun was out and the streets were dusty. We spend an hour in a taxi to take us to the hotel which was barely 15 minutes walk from where we were, but the air conditioning in the taxi was a welcome escape from the noise and pollution.

We barely had 20 minutes to shower and change before our friend AR came to pick us up from our hotel, the FX Harris Suites Sudirman (you can read more about it on Tripadvisor if you are planning to head over to Jakarta). Once we got back into the car, AR asked us what we’d like to do. Museums? Been there, done that. Art galleries? Nah, it might be too late anyway as it was almost 5pm. He said, “Well, its either a mall or my place”.

SW had a flash of brilliance and suggested we go buy some durian and eat it at AR’s house. AR thought it was a fantastic idea (I suspect he doesn’t get durian very often) and immediately thought of 2 shops where we could procure this stinky fruit. SW struck off the first place without much hesitation, it was too far away and in the Jakarta evening traffic would have been a voyage of at least 2 hours. “Let’s go to the second place, hey isn’t it sort of on the way to your house?”

Destination agreed and driver instructed, we settled in for the half an hour ride to the fruit shop.

We pulled in at the “All Fresh” Fruit Store on Jalan Panglima (Kebayoran Baru branch) which AR and SW said was renown for its variety of fresh fruit. If any place had durian, this was it. My expectations were running so high. Here was the first advertisement I saw:

Advertising their durian goods in Jakarta

So I thought… “OKay.. hmm, durian pancakes make sense because hey there has to be something that can be made so that the leftover durians don’t go to waste.”

But hang on. There was a “NEW” sign on it, so either its a recent thing or maybe the sign has been up there for ages.

Anyway, no better way to know then to go on in and check out the shop.

AR was all excited and led the way in.

“Here are the durians!” he exclaimed pointing excitedly to the durian corner.

Durian Stall in the All Fresh Supermarket

Well… I hate to say it, but I really wasn’t impressed. A durian stall with barely any durians on it? I could count them, there were probably no more than ten of them and they looked miserable. They were all definitely Thai imports, as it was the Monthong variety. There wasn’t even a fruit seller standing there to sell any of them to us. Hmm.

AR was undeterred. “How about these here S-one, they look pretty good. I’m sure some of these are ripe”

Durian packed for sale

In the usual fashion, I poked and prodded them (carefully and gently, so as not to leave fingerprints in the flesh of the fruit). Well, they certainly looked good, but when I brushed my fingers over them, they felt solid and unyielding. Packet after packet I brushed, hoping and waiting to chance upon the right and exact one which would make it home with us.

“None of these are good AR” I said firmly,”all of them are unripe and too hard. It’s because they are Monthong and Thais like to eat them before they truly ripen, but that’s not how we like it.”

AR was yet again reluctant to give up. “How about this one?” he said, lifting up a packet  (see photo), “It smells pretty good and ripe too”.

I’m also generally an optimist and gamely took a whiff through the plastic wrap (tip: you should always be able to smell the durian through the plastic wrap if its ripe).

Nope, no real pungent aromas there. I just caught a faint aroma, but not enough to tantalize the taste buds. SW had wisely stayed out of the selection process and stood by just asking if all the packets were the same and whether we should buy a whole durian off the shelf if that was preferable.

My reply was swift and firm. “None of these durians are good and if we were to buy them, we might be disappointed and be frustrated with ourselves and the waste of money”.

“Oh” SW replied,”Well we can’t have that then. Maybe let’s buy some other fruits in that case.” Very practical.

So I sent AR and SW off to select a variety of fruit, mangoes, mangosteen, papaya, duku etc.

Meanwhile, I continued to browse the fruit selection near the durian, when I came across the durian pancake they advertised at the main entrance.

So here is the durian pancake.

Durian Pancake in Jakarta Fruit Shop

How weird is that? The sign at the top said “PANCAKE, DURIAN MONTONG” and all I could see initially were packets of cut papaya and pineapple.

Well, look a little further down. Do you see it now?

If you look on the 3rd shelf (bottom of photo), you’ll see these 2 small packets… yes! They were the durian pancakes.. or that was all that was left of them I suppose.

The durian pancakes for takeaway

The pancakes were made in a square, like the way a lump of tofu is made. The skin of it looked convincing enough but I couldn’t tell if it was soft and tender or chewy and starchy. I also had no idea whether it was freshly made or whether these were the leftovers from a previous bake.

In the end, I wasn’t going to find out, the decision had already been made. It was quality over quantity and we had to save the durian feast for another time.

Durian – Advertisement, Craving, Frozen Dissatisfaction

I had to make a trip via a budget airline to Singapore at the end of last month (okay, it was Jetstar) and that was on route onto a long haul flight to Europe. The only entertainment the airline provides is its magazine, which has a slew of curious advertisements and editorials on where to go and what to eat. I spied 2 pages in the magazine that is relevant to this blog: 1) a durian advert 2) a mention of a durian derivative.

So for number 1):

Visit Penang durian advertisement

And number 2)

Recommendation for durian ice cream in Vietnam Capital

Here – under “must eats”, durian ice cream is recommended at Fanny which sells home-made ice cream. But I have to tell you, I’ve tried Vietnamese durian before and I’m not sure if the ice cream will really taste.

But maybe durians in Hanoi could be different.

As a result of this, I got rather hungry on the plane and an unreasonable craving for durians by the time I landed. I expressed this to my mother who surprised me by telling me that she had a secret stash in the freezer.

“What! A secret stash? When did you get it?”

“I got it from Ah Di, he said that he had very good durian so I bought some and kept it in the freezer… if you like, I’ll defrost it and we can eat some”

Yes, my mother is as game to eat durians anytime as I am.

So, out of the freezer they came…

Straight from the freezer

I have to say they were frozen but what disturbed me was the formation of icicles which is usually not a good sign as it will decrease the quality and texture of the flesh.

(although the aroma persists, despite the freezing process)

“Hey mum, what type of durian is this?”

“It’s the best of course, Mau Sang Wang…”

Hmm. OK.

The frozen one before I ate it

There was another small box that she took out and I asked what this durian was and why it was packed separately.

“Oh, this is one that Uncle gave me, he says this is the one that the Thai King eats”

Hmm… interesting, I’ve never heard of the durian that the Thai King eats, but I suppose it must be Thai then. (if anyone knows what type of durian this is, please send me a message)

Ate one, check out the small seed

Anyway, it tasted pretty good, I couldn’t wait until it thawed completely so I waited about ten minutes and ate it still cold like ice-cream just out of the freezer. Quite delicious. You can see the seeds are quite small.

I let my mother have the other piece so that she could try it too.

Then I tried some of the other Mau Sang Wang but the flavor was not to my taste and the icicles made it too difficult to eat frozen. Anyway, this aspect of it was dissatisfying but my initial craving was already somewhat satiated. 🙂

Ps. If you want to buy from Ah Di, his fruit stall is at the Farrer Road market and has a wide variety of fruit. My mum has bought from him for the last 3 decades.