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It’s durian season, and one thing for certain is the love Malaysians have for the king of fruits. With over 100 varieties of durian in Malaysia, we are spoilt for choice. Some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance, whereas others find the aroma overpowering with an unpleasant odour.

However, this article goes out to the durian-lover to answer the timeless question: “How do we know if the durian is the right taste for us? How do you tell if a durian is ripe?”

Here’s a guide on how to pick the right durian!

The book Durian: Fruit Development, Postharvest Physiology, Handling and Marketing in ASEAN, edited by Sonthat Nanthachai (ASEAN Food Handling Bureau, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 1994) lists ways to detect the ripeness of a durian:

In many varieties, the tips of the spikes turn darker brown than the bases of the spikes

The spike tips also become slightly elastic and more flexible

The grooves between spikes expand and turns darker

The fruit when tapped has a hollow sound—if a solid sound is heard, it’s not ripe; when shaken, the best fruits have a movement like sound, as if something is being shaken in hollow shell.

via GIPHY

The sap from the fruit stem will be clear and sweet; in unripe fruits, it is thick, sticky, and not sweet.

via GIPHY

A small "window" into the fruit is cut to check out the insides, the fragrance will be stronger and the pulp more colorful than unripe fruits.

via GIPHY

Do you have any to add on to the guide? Tell us in the comments! 

Written by Thineshkan