Durian, the King of Fruit

Ever heard of or tried a Durian? Well I hadn't until just recently.  Said to be the king of fruits, and native to South East Asia, the name comes from the Malay word duri, meaning "thorn".

 

With an average weight of around 1.5kg, you'll immediately recognise a Durian by it's tough, spikey outer shell,and enormous size. Handling the monster shell can be quite a challenge, but once you are able to split the different compartments open, you'll find a soft yellow fleshy, fatty fruit - somewhat like avocado in texture (rich and smoothe), and similar to custard.

1/4 of the whole fruit.

The Durian is high in sulfur (MSM) - which is what tends to give it a stronger smell, rich in Vitamin E, and contains high levels of amino acid Tryptophan, which raises the levels of seretonin (mood enhancing chemical) in the brain.

I highly recommend taking a trip to your local fruit & veg store or market and trying one of these amazing fruits! The more you eat, the more you crave! Great in salads, or used in yummy cakes, I'll definitely be experimenting with "nature's custard" a little more in the near future... :)