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Durian, the Asian fruit king, origin, use, and curiosity
Table of Contents
1. Durian is of origin
Durian (Durio zibethinus L.) is a fruit of the family Bombacaceae. It comes from Southeast Asia and neighboring islands. It is commonly grown along roads or in salads from south-eastern India and Ceylon to New Guinea. The largest exporter of durian fruit is Thailand.2. Durian is a tree
In India, it blooms on the banks of rivers where its roots can reach water. It usually blooms in March and April or in September and October. It is straight, with a short straight stem and an irregular crown with roughly thin branches, which are covered with young or copper stalks. From the top it is dark green and shiny, covered with gray or brown hair from the bottom.3. Durian's taste and smell
.Scientists at the German Centre for Research in Food Chemistry decided to address the problem of the unusual odor of durian. However, the study showed that there were 50 distinct compounds present in this fruit, including eight that did not originate in Thailand. For this purpose, they extracted the extract from durian fruit and distributed it using a mass spectrometer and a gas chromatograph. It turned out that the strong odor was not a single compound, but a mixture of a number of different chemicals. The study found that the fruit contained 50 different compounds, including 8 that were not flavored.4. Durian has a nutritional value
The average duranium fruit weighs about 600 g. In addition, it contains magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, zinc, and high amounts of fiber. The duranium is a true vitamin bomb. Durian is a source of B vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and vitamin C. Source: Durian, raw or frozen, USDA, ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/ (31.01.2018). Table 1.5. Durian health properties
Durian has anti-inflammatory properties and is also used in traditional Asian medicine as an anti-fever and powerful aphrodisiac.6. Durian use in the kitchen
In Indonesia, it is used to prepare a sauce that is eaten along with rice. Inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula conserve durian kernel in salt to have access to it throughout the year. In cuisine, durian seeds are also used as cooked, fried, roasted or dried. It is then used as a condiment in traditional South-East Asian foods and sweet cuisine. In Palembang, on the other hand, durians are fermented, sometimes smoked and served as an appetizer. Immature fruits are cooked whole and eaten as vegetables.7. Durian Where to buy?
On the Internet you can find one store where the price of this fruit is 250 PLN per piece. To know the taste of durian, you can buy durian candies, which include dried fruit juices. Durian can be bought in stores with Asian cuisine. Although Asian countries produce preparations of durians, i.e. dried pieces of fruit or suspended in syrup in a can, in Polish stores you can rarely find this type of product. However, its quantity is not large, as it is only on the 4th place on the list of ingredients. Unfortunately, in Poland it is very difficult to find.8. Durian is curious
Due to the characteristic strong smell, consuming durian is prohibited in most public places in South Asia. Travelers may find it amusing to see a sign reading No durians (Figure 1).
