When I was a kid, Durian season was very special and we would look forward to it with much anticipation. Nowadays, it feels as if you can get Durians throughout the year. That is made possible by the lengthening of the Malaysian Durian Season as well as the importation of Durians from other countries such as Thailand.
The main season for Malaysian Durians starts from May and lasts until August with another season from mid October till December. The fruit takes around 120 to 140 days to develop. So right now we are at the end of the mid year season, but the Durian trees are already starting to flower and news from the plantations is that we should be expecting a bumper crop in October if all goes well as there are many flowers on the trees!
So what do you do if you have a serious Durian craving in between seasons? Well, you can still get Thai Durians and the one they often import is the D123 Chanee. The fruit is can sometimes be mistaken as a Mao Shan Wang because of its thick yellow flesh and indeed it is sometimes sold at Mao Shan Wang prices. But do not be mistaken. It usually costs only around $5-$6/kg and for that price, it isn't a bad alternative. But you should not be paying $25/kg for such a Durian thinking that it is a Mao Shan Wang.
The Chanee is usually a large sized fruit with greyish green husk, and thick thorns with brownish tips. The flesh is golden yellow, thick and creamy and it has a strong aroma. However, compared to a Mao Shan Wang, the flavour is much less complex and it doesn't have that bitterness to balance out the sweetness.
Mao Shan Wang Photo from Ah Seng Durian
Mr Chia at Kong Lee Hup Kee would occasionally get the odd D123 from his supplier as part of a basket of miscellaneous Durians from the plantation. I was fortunate that he had one for the photoshoot that day. However, he doesn't usually sell the D123 since he closes his shop in between seasons.
Conclusion
This is just a post to compare the D123 Chanee with the D197 Mao Shan Wang since the it is quite commonly seen in between the main Durian Seasons. It is not a bad fruit to eat but the flavour cannot match that of a D197 Mao Shan Wang and you should not be paying top dollar for it.
Blk 440, Pasir Ris Dr 6
#01-03
Singapore 510440
3pm to 8pm during season
Mr Chia Boon Huat
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8 comments:
do Chanee durians have the star-shape mark at the bottom of the shell too?
I love durian! Perhaps you can share the tips for those who can't stand the strong smell of this fruit.
Buy one of those nose pinchers that synchronize swimmers use.
No Chanee don't have the star sign.
Great use of .gif format!
@ Hillary Miller: the strange thing about durian is, before you bite it, the smell is very strong. However, once you started eating away, you will not notice of the smell, rather it's the taste sensory that takes over. Try it. Love it.
The movie effect on the durian really caught my attention!!! Great job!! Makes me feel like there's a real durian infront of me!
Wow Leslie! What a shock to see that durian open and close! You are quite the HTML magician. Great article, as always
Thanks for your feedback and comments everyone! Glad to know you like the Cinemagraphs!
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