Durian: The King of South East Asian Fruits

This fruit is native to Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia. It is exported the most by Thailand. It is considered obnoxious by some and divine by the others. It is banned in many hotels and public transportation across South East Asia. It’s pungent aroma is what makes this fruit special. It has a hard thorny shell and is succulent yellow (sometimes red) flesh inside. It is seasonal in nature and fruits primarily during the rainy season. It is consumed as a fruit and is a major ingredient in many south east Asian drinks and desserts. This is the Durian, the king of all South East Asian Fruits.


Most of the people do not come even close to tasting this fruit as they find its smell to be a huge turn-off. Even the ones who end up trying it may not necessarily like it. But, the ones who like it absolutely love it and will vouch for its excellent taste and nutritious properties. Well, to start with, this fruit is fairly nutritious with a lot of vitamins and potassium in it. It also has a lot of carbohydrates and raw fats. It is considered a cooling agent too.


The fruit is extremely popular in South East Asia and this can be seen through the many Durian specialty stalls in the major cities across South East Asia. Even better is Singapore’s esplanade, which is designed like a Durian. Personally, I find the smell overpowering, but I like its taste. I prefer the slightly riper version even though they smell stronger. Have you tried the king of south east Asian fruits? What did you think of it?