Penang Durian

Penang Durian

Penang durians, considered King of Fruits, are famous throughout Malaysia for their pleasant taste and aroma. It is no wonder that Penang people who work elsewhere in Malaysia return during durian seasons, bringing with them friends to enjoy this wonderful experience of durian feasts, usually held in one of the many durian orchards located on the southwest side of Penang Island, centering on the town of Balik Pulau. Let me introduce you to some of the best durians in Malaysia. The best durians in Malaysia come from the south and southwest hilly regions of Penang Island, from places like Balik Pulau, Sungai Pinang and Pantai Acheh, where the fertile hill soil, temperature and rainfall makes it ideal for durian cultivation. While I can't say I am a seasoned connoisseur of durians, I can say I am enjoying myself tasting good durians. Good durians are like fine wine. Those who know durians will tell you - as I would - that every durian from every durian tree tastes slightly different. Whether they are sweet or bittersweet, you can tell the difference between good durians and the also-runs. As such, durians are not like any other fruits, certainly not comparable to apples, papayas or mangosteen. "That thory thing." So goes its name in Malay. All across the Malay archipelago in Asia, the durian reigns supreme as King of Fruits. An acquired taste, the durian is to Southeast Asia what foie gras, truffles and caviar are to the West. Western description of durian almost always contains words like "smelly", "damp socks", "odoriferous", and other unpleasant adjectives to pin down what many in the Malay archipelago would describe as fragrant aroma. Yes, aroma. To many Asians, few fruit smells as nice, and I for one can't for the world of me compare it to smelly socks.

Appreciating the durian

Durians should preferably be taken fresh, that is to say, direct from the fruit, as soon as it is opened. That's when the aroma is strongest. Yes indeed, to truly appreciate the durian, you need to appreciate its aroma as well. Refrigerated durians simply can't compare.

Depending on the texture of the flesh, you can bite on it, chew it, suck it or lick it. Some are as soft as molten chocolate, while others are as hard as cheese. From my experience, I find that Malaysians generally prefer the soft variety that drops from the tree whereas the Thais prefer their durians hard, often plucked. As such, soft durians fetch a higher price than hard ones.

Taste of durians

The taste of durians ranges from sweet to bitter, and in the case of durians, bitter does not immediate translate as bad. Some are dry, others creamy, like ice cream or chocolate. Good durians usually have a substantial amount of flesh, or body, between the skin and the seed. The flesh could be separated from the seed by the inner skin which itself is as tasty as the flesh.

In Penang, Malaysia, the best place to get good durians is in the town of Balik Pulau, on the southwest corner of     Penang Island. Balik Pulau is a 30 minute drive over the main range and has a lot of durian orchards.

Ang Heh (Red Prawn Durian)

Ang Heh originates from Pondok Upeh, Balik Pulau, and has a round-shaped husk. The orange reddish flesh is highly aromatic, very soft with a bitter-sweet taste

Ang Jin (Red Yoke Durian)

As the name suggests, Ang Jin Durian has deep orange flesh. It is very sweet and tasty.

Ang Sim (Red Heart)

Ang Sim is a durian with flesh which is quite soft and very sweet, and dark yellow in colour. It also has a nice aroma

Bak Eu (Pork Fat Durian)

Bak Eu has a slightly acidic aroma. The flesh is whitish while the taste is quite bitter but nice.

Chaer Phoy (Green Skin Durian)

Chaer Phoy is shaped like a small canteloupe. The skin is bright green, giving it the name which means "green skin". Chaer Phoy has creamy white flesh which is a bit dry, not too sweet but tasty.

Coupling(和 拼)

This durian is gets its unusual name because it looks like two durians joined together, one big and one small. When split open, you almost thought the two halves belong to two different durians. Coupling has whitish flesh which is slightly dry but tastes good.

D11

"Number Eleven" is a very popular durian in the 70's. It has creamy yellow flesh with a pleasant taste and a subtle smell.

D17

D17 is dark cream flesh. The taste is slightly dry but sweet. It is a tasty durian

D600

This durian originates in Sungai Pinang in Balik Pulau. The flesh has a bittersweet taste to it, with a touch of sourness. The one that I documented is a bit hard.

D604

The D604 was first cultivated by the late Mr. Teh Hew Hong of Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau. The flesh is quite sweet, and has some "body" to it as the seed is small.

D700

The flesh is darker than D600, like chrome yellow. Also slightly hard. Crispy, but the smell is not very strong.

Hor Loh (Water Gourd Durian)

The flesh of the Hor Loh is very soft, dry and quite bitter. It has a sharp smell to it. Hor Loh was first cultivated at the Brown orchard of Sungai Ara. It got its name from its appearance resembling a "Hor Lor" pumpkin. If the durian hits the ground hard when it falls, the flesh tends to be bitter thereafter. 

Khun Poh

This durian takes the name of the late Mr Lau Khun Poh, who first budded it. Khun Poh has beautiful orangy flesh with a slightly bitter-sweet taste and a heavy aroma.

Lin Fong Jiau

This durian is named after Lin Fong Jiau, aka Mrs Jackie Chan. I wonder whether it is indicative of the relationship of the celebrity couple, for Lin Fong Jiau is a bittersweet durian, for too bitter for my liking. The flesh is whitish and wet.

Ooi Kyau (bright yellow tumeric Durian)

The name Ooi Kyau (tumeric) describes the colour of the bright yellow flesh of this durian. It is very sweet and tasty.

Xiao Hung (Little Red Durian)

Xiao Hung, whose name means "Little Red One," originates in Sungai Pinang, Balik Pulau. The flesh has a bittersweet taste to it, with a touch of sourness. The one that I tasted for this write-up is a bit hard. There are only one or two seeds per section, but the flesh is thick.

Yah Kang (Centipede Durian)

Yah Kang is one of my favourite durians. Although its flesh is whitish, the taste is superb, milky, like very sweet, melting chocolate. The name "yah kang" means centipede, and accounts for the number of centipedes found at the foot of the tree, hence giving it the rather unusual name.