No, I’m not talking about the Durian Otak Udang (“Prawn Brain”, after its colour), which is the normal durian whose flesh is deep orange colour – a prized catch nonetheless.
Otak Udang
That’s nothing compared to this rare durian I’m about to tell you about. In fact it’s so rare that even if you “googlificize” it, you’ll find only this link on it.
I’m talking about durian that’s actually red on the outside, and bright yellow on the inside. I found these at the Tutong tamu about two years ago (way before this blog came into being), and have just remembered I took photos because I was just so amazed by this very rare durian. When I first saw them, I simply couldn’t believe my eyes- they looked like overgrown red rambutan, or perhaps giant sea urchins.
Glorious rouge!
The fruit is NOT easy to open despite the natural seams between the “satars”. But as soon as you’ve pried them apart, you catch sight of the bright yellow flesh which contrast sharply with the deep red thorns.
Delicious yellowness
Despite its pleasing aesthetics, it’ll take someone with damaged taste buds and sense of smell to eat it because it is simply TOO wangi to consume!! The moment I put some in my mouth, it’s like getting a hit and you’re immediately high from the sweetness (aroma rather than taste) – I had to lie down. It is so wangi, you might as well chug down a bottle of perfume!! Erk. Perhaps the label “King of Fruit” is a misnomer. A “King” can’t be wangi coz wangi is a “feminine” quality – that’s a rather unpolitically correct statement that could lead to butch lesbians kicking my head in. Big L aside, my dad says that it’s a jungle fruit that’s not meant for human consumption. But even if I were a monkey, I think I’d rather lose grip of a tree branch and crashland onto to a porcupine on the ground than eat this. I’m exaggerating of course, you could still eat it, but in very little doses. For the first time in my life, I refused a second bite of the durian!
