Falling durian prices inspire locals to bake, ferment and cook dishes using excess fruits for sharing
AS THE durian season draws to a close, many Malaysians have made the most of one of the most abundant harvests in recent years.
Bumper yields across orchards have led to lower prices nationwide, encouraging people to take full advantage of the oversupply.
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While many enjoy the fruit fresh, others incorporate it into various dishes or share their surplus with the community.
StarMetro spoke to several durian enthusiasts to see how they capitalised on this season’s harvest.
Birthday feast
For retiree Lily Cheng from Kajang, the durian glut arrived at the perfect time to celebrate her birthday on June 28.
Not wanting to go out for her birthday meal, Cheng said she was craving durian with glutinous rice, just like how she used to enjoy while growing up in Kangar, Perlis.
“My sons bought 13kg of Musang King durian, while I prepared the glutinous rice.
“The combination of warm glutinous rice, fresh durian and topped with coconut cream is simply delicious,” she said, adding that everyone in her family loves durian.
“Last year, the durian was very expensive and I boycotted it because local fruit should never be that expensive!” said Cheng.
Enjoying the feast inspired her to buy more durian while prices were low and freeze the flesh for future use in her cooking.
“Durian flesh freezes very well. That is why we get cendol durian all-year round.
“I love experimenting with new food recipes. For example, I made red bean soup and mung bean soup and added durian flesh at the end. Both turned out delicious.
“I have also made durian bread by blending the durian flesh into the dough and it turned out really well too,” she said.
Fermented goodness
Food traders seized the opportunity to boost their income by diversifying their menus with durian-based dishes.
Online meat and seafood seller Latifah Abdullah, 39, from Puchong in Selangor, said she added tempoyak to her product line this durian season.
Tempoyak is a traditional Malay fermented durian paste made by mixing ripe durian flesh with a small amount of salt and allowing it to ferment for several days.
The process adds a distinctive tangy and sour flavour to the fruit and is popular in Malay traditional cuisine.
“I am good at making tempoyak and with the current oversupply of durians, it is very easy to get stock.
“I have sold over 100kg of tempoyak this month.
“One of the best-known dishes with tempoyak is ikan patin masak tempoyak, in which catfish is cooked in a spicy gravy made with tempoyak, chillies, turmeric and other aromatics.
“Tempoyak can also be eaten as a dip with fresh vegetables and rice or used to flavour curries and sambal,” she said.
Latifah sources her durian from a nearby vendor who sets aside split but perfectly edible fruit that can no longer be sold at retail.
“Whenever the seller has a basket full, he will call me to collect it.
“While tempoyak is traditionally made using kampung durian, I have been receiving a mix of varieties, including premium ones such as Musang King.
“Since I also sell fish, if I get fresh Ikan Patin Sangkar, which is the less fishy variety of catfish species, I will take orders for Ikan Patin Masak Tempoyak for the next day,” she said.
Sweet-baked treats
For those experimenting with new recipes with the thorny fruit, the dip in prices means it is easier on the pocket.
For 19-year-old law student Danish Harraz Abd Hafiz from Semenyih, Selangor, the durian oversupply is a big blessing.
The self-taught cook and baker said this time around, premium durian varieties like Musang King and Black Thorn were being sold at affordable prices.
“I was able to explore new ideas that I had in mind without worrying about costs.
“I developed recipes for my followers on my social media without having to hold back.
“Some of my durian creations include Serawa Durian Butter Cake, Bread Pudding with Durian Custard, Musang King Butter Cake and Roti Kukus Serawa Durian.
“Many people tried and loved the recipes, especially the Serawa Durian Butter Cake,” he said.
Danish Harraz said transforming the ideas in his head into full-proof recipes required a lot of research and development, alongside trial and error.
“Seeing the recipe go viral online with many families enjoying every bite, brought me a lot of joy.
“I was also especially glad to see many home bakers benefit from the recipes, whether by earning a profit from it or
incorporating it into their own businesses.
“Seeing something I created bring value to others has always been one of the most rewarding parts of my passion for cooking and baking,” he said.
Giving back
Some people are sharing the abundance with others.
Durian seller Muhammad Noraliff Firdaus, 31, from Putra Heights in Selangor, said he made either serawa durian or Ikan Patin Masak Tempoyak almost every weekend using excess fruit, especially during the peak oversupply period in June.
Serawa durian is a dessert made with durian flesh, coconut milk and palm sugar. It is often served with glutinous rice, roti jala or bread.
“During the oversupply, my wife and I made two large pots every weekend, producing about 400 packs in total, which we gave away for free.
“It was not only for my customers but for everybody,” he said.
“It finished quickly because many people like durian-based Malay traditional food.
“I am also able to give my customers samples of the fruits, so they can decide if they want to buy,” he said.
Noraliff, who has been selling durian for the past seven years, said giving back to the people was an annual tradition.
“I do this every year, but this year there was a significant oversupply and my giveaways were bigger.
“It is my way of giving back to the community for supporting my business,” he said.
