Ask The Expert: How To Pick And Choose Durians

‘Tis the season for durians once again, and you’ll find several sellers selling some deliciously ripe durians. But nothing is more annoying than buying what you believe is a good durian, and finding out that it’s over-ripe or under-ripe. So we’ve put a few techniques that will help you hone your durian-picking skills to the next level.

1. Scrapping the stem

If you’re looking for a quick way to check if the durian is fresh, then one handy trick is to scrap some of the stem skin off. If it looks green and bright, then the durian is fresh but darker ones are usually a few days old. Some crafty sellers might even remove the stems, so be careful to avoid those.

2. Smell

Ahh! The smell of durians is something that you can’t miss out on, but did you know that this is one of the more unreliable ways to tell if the durian is fresh? Most customers tend to smell durians from the bottom region. The smell of durian is extremely strong in those areas, so you might be fooled into thinking that it’s ripe when it’s actually not.

But if you don’t have any other way, then remember to always try smelling it from around the centre area. This is a better way to tell if you have a fresh one in your hands.

3. Shaking it

It’s time to show off your durian shaking skills on the floor. The perfectly ripe durian will make sounds of the seeds in the pods as you shake them. Maybe you can even feel them, but if the sensation is too strong then chances are that you’ve picked up an overripe durian. And if you can’t feel anything at all, then it’s unripe so you’ll need to skip out on that one.

4. Tap it

Another great way to tell if the durian is ripe is to simply give it the good ol’ tap treatment. The ripe ones will give you a sound that sounds almost hollow, while an echo means that it’s yet to ripen. If the sound is very solid, then it’s an overripe one.

5. The spikes

This way is criminally underrated but the spikes are a great way to tell if you have the perfect durian. Just pinch two spikes together and if they stand firm then they’re probably fresh. Old durians will have spikes that bend rather easily.

You can also try scraping them with your nails. If you get some hollow/dull sound then it’s not a fresh one. Fresh ones tend to make a low yet raspy sound. It’s a pretty easy way once you’ve tried it out a few times.

6. Press it

This way requires a little delicate touch, but it’s worth giving it a try. All that you need to do is place your hand on a swollen lobe and push. If the skin actually sinks a little, then there are good chances of the durian being good, and if there is no bulge then it’s usually unripe. But this method won’t work for all, so be sure to try out the other tests as well.

Now, always remember that a trusted durian seller is worth their weight in gold. Not only are they experts at picking out the good ones, but they’ll also help you get them at much better prices. So it’s always recommended to find a reliable durian seller who knows what they’re doing and keeping in touch.