If you’ve been to a Southeast Asian market, it’s likely that you’ve encountered durian. The fruit has made a name for itself among adventurous foodies due to its heavily-spiked husk, heavy meat texture, and, of course, extremely pungent smell. The odor is so bad that the durian fruit has been banned on public transportation, hotels, and airplanes, and is repeatedly referred to as “the world’s smelliest fruit.”
But durian is still enjoyed by many Indonesians because of its unique flavor. For highly-curious foodies who aren’t ready to take the leap of eating raw durian just yet, there are plenty of foods infused with the special durian flavor worth trying. Here are six ways to eat durian for the uninitiated.
Durian toast
Toast is a popular street food among Indonesians and is usually sought out as a late night bite. The dish comes in a variety of spreads and toppings, including durian, though it’s still considered a specialty flavor only available at certain vendors. The authentic durian spread used at Dapoer Roti Bakar is worth the late-night jaunt.
Durian juice or smoothie
Blending it into a silky juice or smoothie is always a great way to enjoy fruit, even durian. The classic recipe calls for condensed milk, coconut milk, ice, and chocolate syrup to top. At King Durian, this beverage is elevated through an indulgent mix of durian juice, durian ice cream, and durian custard, topped off with chunks of durian meat. As the saying goes: go big or go home!
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*Durian ice cream
This is a particularly popular way to enjoy durian among Indonesians and non-Indonesians, as a growing number of ice cream sellers abroad now carry durian-flavored ice cream, too. Ragusa Es Italia, an old-timey gelato haunt favored by Jakartans, offers durian as one of its premium flavor ice creams. A spoonful of this stuff and you’ll forget all about durian’s bad reputation.
Durian sticky rice
If you’re looking for a bit of savory taste in your durian dish, order a plate of durian sticky rice which features a bed of nicely-cooked sticky rice topped off with homemade durian sauce. Only a few eateries offer this dish, including Jakarta hotspot Sop Duren 88.
Durian “soup”
The dessert, called sop durian as a reference to the soupy consistency of this ice cocktail, is served at popular locale Sop Duren Addict. The cafe specializes in contemporary twists on the classic durian dish with interesting topping combos on the menu, like green beans and sticky rice, brownies and strawberries, vanilla and coffee, and, its most popular item, the matcha green durian soup.
Durian pancakes
This dessert is made from thin crepe-like layers that are folded and stuffed with durian and, with their bright green color, are as eye-catching as they are tasty. You can enjoy these treats at Chinese restaurant chain Sari Laut Jala Jala which has built a reputation off their famous durian pancakes.
Have you ever ordered a durian dish you loved? Share your experience in the comments below!
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