Durians are undeniably a favourite among Southeast Asians, especially Singaporeans. If you’ve been having them since young, you’ve probably waited for your parents to bring home some durians and pry them open. But as you grow older, you can’t always depend on your parents to make the choice. So, you got to grow up and learn how to choose durians like an expert. However, selecting the durians can be a daunting task when you’re making a purchase among experienced durian sellers.
Equipping yourself with basic knowledge about durians will be handy when you’ve to select the durians yourself. You won’t have to rely on the sellers, and they won’t be able to scam you into buying old durians just so they can clear their stocks. Besides, you’ll be helping to rid the market of durian sellers who just want to make profit regardless. Durians are a priced commodity in Singapore, which makes the price range vary according to breed, origin and demand. If the price is too good to be true, it’s very likely that the seller just wants your money.
Durian scams aside, it’s important to pick the right durian to suit your taste. There are various types of durians as it differs in terms of taste and look. Some people like it sweet, while some like it bitter. Most Singaporeans prefer the Mao Shan Wang Durian, also known as Musang King Durian. It has a rich, sweet and at times, bitter flavour. While the Jin Feng Durian has a strong complex taste, which produces a mild alcohol flavour. If you like eating durians which is bitter-sweet with a strong alcohol taste, the XO Durian is for you. Bear in mind that these are just a few types of durians which are popular among Singaporeans.
So, how do you pick and choose durians like an expert? These tips will help you pick the right durian without being scammed.
Check the durian stem
Try to scratch the durian stem gently with your fingertips. If it’s greenish with brown edges, you’ve hit the jackpot – fresh durians – the ones that fell off the tree in the past 24 hours. If the durians are harvested ahead of their natural cycle, the stems are most likely to be darker in colour. Avoid stemless durians as some sellers may try to sell poor quality durians as good quality ones. Besides, you’ll want to do the scratch test yourself as some durian sellers will use the knife, which defeats the purpose of you checking the stem.
Use your sense of smell
Known as the most pungent fruit, durians exude a strong smell depending on its ripeness. You can either ask the seller to hold the fruit up or hold it in your hands (with gloves, of course!). Take a whiff along the top part of the durian. If you smell it from the bottom, it’ll be difficult to tell the ripeness as the husk is thicker than at the top. Generally, if it smells sweet, the durian is ripe. If there’s hardly any smell coming from the durian, then it’s unripe. Likewise, if the durian exudes a strong and intense smell, it’s overripe.
Examine the shape
It’s common to notice the shape of the fruit before buying it. Likewise, you should apply the same principle when selecting durians. But getting perfectly round or oval durians won’t guarantee fleshy meat. Give odd-shaped durians a chance as they may taste as good with fewer chambers and flesh-covered seeds.
Sound the durian
If you noticed, durian sellers often toss the fruit around and tap it with a knife. They do that to check which part of the fruit is ripe. When they do that, you should listen for tapping sounds. You can also shake the fruit and listen for any movement. If you don’t hear any sound, the durian may be underripe or overripe while fresh durians will rattle in effect.
Appearance of the durian
We rely heavily on our sight when it comes to deciding whether the food is fresh or had gone bad. Likewise, the colour of the durian flesh will tell whether it’s sweet or bitter. Depending on the type of durian you choose, the flesh can either be yellow, bright yellow, pale yellow, or yellowish orange. You can check the colour by asking the seller to pry open the durian. Besides, it’s also important to check the colour of the husk so that you’ll be getting fresh durians. If you see a hint of yellow on the husk, don’t make the purchase as it may be days old.
Do your homework
Before buying something at the physical or online store, you’ll do some research to assure yourself that it’s worth your money. Same goes to choosing durians. If you never try, you’ll never know. You’ve got to give the different types of durian a try before deciding on one that suits your taste buds. If the seller is on the online bandwagon, you can search for reviews left by the customers.
There are times when you want to enjoy the fruit with your family and friends without having to leave the house and stinking the car. If you rely on public transport, it’s more likely that you won’t be allowed to carry it onboard. So, how can you satisfy your durian cravings?
There are durian delivery services in Singapore, one being Durian Express Delivery. Before clicking that ‘Proceed to Checkout’ button, be sure to know your type of durian. Pick a delivery time that is not more than 3 hours so that you’ll get fresh durians. Depending on your order, the seller may impose a minimum delivery fee according to the fruit’s weight. It’s best to check for these fees before ordering your durians. Besides, knowing the origin of your durians will also pay off when it comes to the taste and pricing. Look for durian delivery services that have good customer service so that you’ll have a good experience after every order.
Durian Express Delivery is a reliable and experienced service provider that provides exquisite quality durians island-wide on the same day to your home or office. We keep our prices low with our solely owned durian plantation in Malaysia Pahang.We specially handpick the durians to ensure the quality and freshness before delivering them right to your doorstep to enjoy with your family and friends. Have a durian craving? Get it settled now! Call us at +65 8116 8890 or email us at durianexpressdelivery@gmail.com.
