The durian is a seasonal fruit. In Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, the season for durians is typically from June to August, which coincides with that of the mangosteen.
The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact.
Some people regard the durian as fragrant; others find the aroma overpowering and offensive.
The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as almonds, rotten onions, turpentine and gym socks. The odour has led to the fruit's banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in southeast Asia.
The durian, native to Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, has been known to the Western world for
about 600 years. The 19th-century British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace famously described
its flesh as "a rich custard highly flavoured with almonds".
Southeast Asian folk beliefs, as well as traditional Chinese medicine, consider the durian fruit
to have warming properties liable to cause excessive sweating. The traditional method to counteract
this is to pour water into the empty shell of the fruit after the pulp has been consumed and drink it.
An alternative method is to eat the durian in accompaniment with mangosteen, which is considered
to have cooling properties. Pregnant women or people with high blood pressure are traditionally
advised not to consume durian.
ingredient
100g normal flour | 20g custard powder | 30g icing sugar
4 eggs | 230ml - 250ml water
filling
250g whipping cream (whipped) | 500g fresh durian paste
method
Combine all ingredients and mixed well, stir until smooth, filtered.
Prepare a 5 inches length non-stick frying pan. Heat up the pan with little bit of oil,
pour in enough batter, fry over with lowest heat until firmed, dish out, set aside.
Spread the wrapper with rough surface facing up, apply fresh cream on the pancake skin,
followed by a table spoon of durian paste, wrap it like a square pillow,
keep into the fridge for 1-2 hours, serve cold.
Recipe taken from Yum Yum issue 74.
