Banned — Durian: the delicacy that smells like death

‘Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother.’ — Anthony Bourdain

This is how the late chef and host of the hit show Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain described the smell of the world’s most infamous fruit — Durian. It has also been described as smelling like sewage, stale vomit, used surgical swabs, a bunch of dead cats, and vomit-flavoured custard, yet it remains one of South East Asia’s favourite fruits, with a growing export market to daring foodies around the world. But why?

The King of Fruit

As the above the title suggests, Durian is highly prized in South East Asia where it originates. There are about 30 species of Durian, and while it’s native to Malaysia, Indonesia and Borneo, it’s now farmed over much of Southeast Asia. It’s traditionally harvested once it’s ripened and fallen to the ground and is usually, though not exclusively eaten when the interior is soft and creamy, with a texture similar to butter cream or sour cream.

It’s used in a variety of ways, from traditional Asian medicine to both sweet and sour cooking, even being used in cheesecakes and pancakes in Malaysia, as well as in candy. At about 3kg, one Durian will set you back around $30 (~£18).