Durian, the world's most controversial fruit, smells somewhere between rotting flesh and old, sweaty clothes. And yet it's currently booming amid a spike in demand from China. If you're curious enough to try it, here's what to know. — Photo: Robert Guenther/dpa
A mouthful or two of durian, the notoriously pungent fruit grown across Southeast Asia, is close enough to being a rite of passage for travellers to the region.
Recent decades have seen China become the biggest trade partner for and number one source of tourists to most of the region’s 11 countries - and those millions of visitors have brought home a taste for the so-called king of fruit, recognizable for its spiky green exterior and thick-custard flesh that yields readily to a spoon or scoop.
In 2024, China imported almost US$7bil (RM28.46bil) worth of durian with Thailand and Vietnam supplying around 90%. Other countries are vying to scoop themselves out a share of that enormous demand, with the Communist Party rulers of Laos recently being permitted to export durian to China - possibly via Chinese-built fast train from Vientiane to Kunming.
Around the same time, Indonesia announced a first shipment of frozen durian to China - "the result of a long process that required considerable time and resources," according to the government.
And while Indonesia's joining of the fray potentially opens another front in the battle for market share in the world’s second biggest economy, the sprawling archipelago's population of almost 300 million and large domestic demand for durian will likely limit how much fruit it has available to sell overseas.
How to tackle durian for the first time
For anyone visiting Southeast Asia and looking to enjoy it in spite of its stench, here's some advice on what to look for to make sure you're getting the best that durian can offer.
First off, the fruit's spiky shell should not be damaged. A quick shake of the durian should reveal whether it's ripe: If ready to eat, the flesh inside dissolves and you should hear some rattling.
Durian fruit quickly goes bad and should therefore be eaten up as quickly as possible. To get at the flesh inside the fruit, you will need a pair of thick gloves. Halve the fruit with a sharp knife and then pull out the flesh at the seams where the shell has been broken.
From Singapore's durian-themed cafes to Malaysia's controversial coffee drink based on the fruit, the polarising phenomenon of "stinky fruit" has as many enemies as it does fans.
Durian coffee in Malaysia
Malaysia is home to a stinky fruit trend - instant durian coffee, a local controversy that falls somewhere between tourist trap and regional delicacy.
The country also has its sights set on promoting its durian varieties, which include a red-fleshed type grown on Borneo, the island shared with Brunei and Indonesia where growers run durian-themed trade fairs and tourism.
Malaysia began sending fresh durian to China in mid-2024 following a bilateral ceremony marking 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Growers hope to expand to a US$500mil (RM2.03mil) market share in China by the end of the decade, a nearly twenty-fold increase on the value of frozen durian exported there in 2018, based on the popularity of the Musang King variant, which can sometimes sell for as much as US$80 (RM325).
Singapore's annual durian festival
Perhaps the biggest event every year is the Durian Fiesta, between March and July in Singapore.
The Goodwood Park Hotel which has organised the event in previous years concedes that the durian, with its spiky green husk and creamy texture, is "an acquired taste."
But the durian is as versatile as it is stomach-churningly schismatic. Its gloopy texture enables the hotel's agile chefs to gin-up a glut of glutinous concoctions catering to the city-state's durian cognoscenti.
"Every year, the hotel greets returning supporters and welcomes new durian enthusiasts with an eagerly anticipated collection of new items and enduring favourites," the hotel spokesman said.
Among the new-fangled fondants and fondues being fired up are durian pavlovas, durian cream cheeses, durian fritters - and gourmands are welcome to fritter away a few hours at the fiesta. – By Simon Roughneen/dpa
