By Layla Khoury-Hanold for Food Network Kitchen

Layla Khoury-Hanold is a contributor at Food Network.

You may be acquainted with durian and its signature aroma or have heard of the spiky tropical fruit as the cause of many divisive opinions. But what is durian, exactly? For more info, we consulted Petty Pandean-Elliott, author of The Indonesian Table.

What Is Durian?

Known as “the king of fruit,” durian is a large, spiky tropical fruit indigenous to Southeast Asia.

Durian has a spiny, thick husk ranging in color from dull green to slightly yellow-brown. Its edible interior is a soft, custard-like pulp that can be white or golden-yellow. It lies within two or three large, chestnut-brown seeds in several pods inside a compartment of the fruit.

“Durian is consumed when ripe. You will be very fortunate to find ripe durian on the tree, and usually the husk of the heavy fruit splits slightly from the impact of the fall,” Pandean-Elliott. “Prices vary depending on the type of durian, with more pulp than seeds considered to be better.”

What Does Durian Taste Like?

Durian's custard-like pulp is sweet with nutty, creamy and vanilla flavors, Pandean-Elliott says. When the fruit begins to ferment, you might notice “slight notes of yeast... Some people experience a little intoxication after consuming several portions.”

Durian Vs Jackfruit

Durian and jackfruit are both fruits that have a distinctive aroma when ripe and can be eaten raw or used in desserts. “Both fruits, when ripe, are good ingredients for desserts, ice cream or sorbet, and added to shaved iced drinks together with other fruits such as avocado and young coconut,” Pandean-Elliott says. She adds that durian and jackfruit also have seeds that are edible when boiled until soft.

The main differences between durian and jackfruit are that the skin of jackfruit is not as spiky as durian, and jackfruit can be consumed unripe. “Unripe jackfruit is a perfect ingredient for cooking in curries and stews such as sayur asam, a mixed vegetable stew with young tamarind, shallots, chilies, shrimp paste, young papaya, melinjo leaves and corn,” Pandean-Elliott says. “Also, young jackfruit is used in gudeg, the most famous dried stew of Java. Durian is rarely consumed if unripe and does not feature as an ingredient in cooked dishes.”

The Durian Smell

In addition to its signature spiky exterior, durian is famous for its smell. Pandean-Elliott says that the smell of durian can be described as resembling sulphur, blue cheese, very mature camembert or even socks. “The smell can be unpleasant and too much for many people,” she says. “It is interesting that in many communities in Indonesia, it has proven to be divisive between those who love the taste and those who dislike it.” In some cities in Southeast Asia, she says, it's forbidden to bring durian into public buildings or on public transport.

To get rid of the smell of durian after eating, Pandean-Elliott swears by this trick that’s been passed down in her family. “Just add drinking water then sip it from the [empty] pod, and it has the effect of cleaning up the durian smell from your breath. This is an old story told in my family, from my grandmother and also my mum... for some strange reason, it works.”

How to Eat Durian

Once you cut the fruit open, you eat durian with your hands. Pandean-Elliott shares the steps for preparing durian for eating. “Start by twisting a knife into the base and choose one of the five creases in the spiky thick-skinned fruit to start to split from the base upwards,” Pandean-Elliott says. “This is very challenging for any person who is doing it for the first time. A typical durian seller can open the fruit in seconds. Once opened, each fruit has two compartments in each half. You can use your hand to remove the yellow-golden pulp which includes a large seed. Press down and you will find another compartment to find more pulp portions with a seed each time.”

Durian is also incorporated into a variety of traditional sweet and savory Indonesian dishes, Pandean-Elliot says. For instance, the shaved ice drink es teller combines young, soft coconut with chopped avocado and durian pulp, then tops it with a drizzle of condensed milk. "In Manado, North Sulawesi, where I was born, durian pulp is added into a shaved ice sweet red beans drink with a drizzle of condensed milk,” she adds. “A type of sambal called sambal tempoyak features fermented durian pulp combined with ground fresh chilies. In Sumatra, you can find fish or chicken curry with fermented durian added as well. In contemporary cooking, durian is added to a variety of dishes, including pancakes, and desserts such as creme brulée, ice cream and cheesecake."

Durian seeds are also edible and are frequently eaten as a snack. Clean and wash the durian seeds thoroughly, then boil with salt until tender. Pandean-Elliott describes boiled durian seeds as “slightly starchy, with a soft texture, retaining a very delicate durian flavor but without a strong aroma.”

How to Store Durian

Whole, un-cut durian can be stored at room temperature for up to a few weeks. Note that durian continues to ripen after it is harvested. Pandean-Elliott adds that ready-to-eat durian is typically sold in small trays covered with cling film. Pre-cut, wrapped durian can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a couple months. When storing durian in the freezer, it’s important to wrap it well to keep the smell from permeating the freezer and to prevent freezer burn.

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