Eating Durian Fruit in Koh Samui

For all the time I had spent in Thailand, I had still not tried the Durian fruit – the infamous “love it or hate it” food of South East Asia.

So, one slow day, I picked a whole one up from the local market. It’s about the size of a large melon and covered in spikes.

The outside is similar to a conker shell, and opening it is tough. The kind girl at the market did most of the work for me.

Once the flesh is exposed, it releases a strong smell between fermented onions, overripe cheese and rotting fish.

This is not something you want around the house.

The flesh is soft and creamy and has a consistency of thick cream cheese.

It’s off-yellow in colour, and the taste is sweet, rich and unique.

I couldn’t eat much of it, but I did enjoy it. It’s an acquired taste and a must-try.

As you can see in the pictures, most of the fruit is inedible. The flesh coats the large seeds, which are contained inside different compartments.

The smell lingered in my apartment for a day or two after.

If you try it, eat it quickly and keep it outside!

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