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Durian season is here again and that can only mean one thing for most Singaporeans who love this thorny fruit – a durian feast fit for a king!
We know there are so many different kinds of durians out there from the Mao Shan Wang to D24 but no matter which one is your go-to durian of choice, they will always have a place in our hearts. Heck, even the Esplanade is moulded after the famous pungent fruit. Needless to say, being a Singaporean myself, I would never pass up the opportunity to feast on something this mouth-watering (albeit it being heaty). Enough rambling from me, here are 8 reasons why the durian has my heart.
- That delectable flavour burst
My favourite kind of durian is one that is bittersweet! That’s because there’s nothing like having an initial burst of sweetness when you take that first bite only to have a slightly bitter aftertaste that follows. I’m not one to choose between sweet and bitter durians because where’s the fun in that when you can have the best of both worlds with a bittersweet one?
- Its versatility
Have you ever patronised or maybe taken a walk by Durian Mpire only to be greeted by the delectable fragrance of all its durian products? Doesn’t it make you want to buy them all? Or maybe you’ve patronised Ritz Apple Strudel only to take home with you a durian strudel instead because apple seems so meh. Whatever it is, you can never go wrong with durian being the star ingredient. One thing I swear by is that once you’ve had a taste of durian strudel, you’d never want to go back to plain ol’ apple.
- Its addictiveness
Remember the tagline that Pringles has? Yes, it’s pretty much the same for me when it comes to durians – once I pop one in, I can’t stop. My family loves durian just as much as I do and whenever we have a durian feast, each of us would definitely have a Styrofoam box of durian fruit all to ourselves.
- There’s nothing quite like it
Unlike other fruits that arrive on our shores, nothing quite gets people in a debate than the durian. On one side of the fence, people would argue that it tastes better than it smells while on the other, they’re sticking to the fact that they’re not going to have their mouths anywhere near the pungent fruit. I also kind of enjoy seeing how people who swore never to touch durians have a change of minds once they give in to the pungent smell. However, don’t say we never warn you of its addictiveness okay?
- Family bonding time
There are many things that I can indulge in when it comes to spending quality time with my family but on the top of my list is getting to enjoy durian with them! I remember as a kid, my dad would always lug home a giant plastic bag full of durians for us to feast on as dessert after a hearty dinner. With our marble-tiled floors lined with old newspaper, my dad would proceed to pry open these durians before saying “Go on, help yourselves.” All of us would be seated down on the floor with a plastic bag each to dispose of the seeds. I really enjoyed times like this where we can have family conversations over the deliciousness that is durians.
- Novelty factor
Because the durian is a seasonal fruit, there’s always that constant craving for it. It makes me get excited whenever the durian season arrives on our shores because that means I get to finally satisfy my craving for the king of fruits. Not getting to have it constantly gives it a novelty factor (that will never go away) and it’s something that is definitely worth the wait.
- Sacrifice is necessary, but well worth it
We all know just how heaty the king of fruits is, and how it leaves a trace of pungent smell on our hands that is hard to get rid of but look at it like a package deal. If you want to enjoy durians for what they’re worth, sacrifice is indeed necessary. For me, the last thing on my mind is getting a sore throat after a durian feast because for a fruit that is seasonal, it’s not like I get to have it all the time.
- It has health benefits (yes, really!)
The durian isn’t called the king of fruits for nothing because despite its controversial reputation, it actually has health benefits! These include aiding in digestion, improving bone health, lowering of blood pressure, having anti-aging properties, improving signs of anaemia, and aiding with insomnia. So with that thought, why not give our health a boost by indulging in some durians?
[plinker]
