We are in the midst of the Durian (榴莲) season and with the abundant harvests, the prices of the thorny fruits is at its lowest. There is no better time than now to go buy the king of fruits as evident of the long queues at popular outlets. My younger brother made the trip to HoJiak Durian & Fruits (榴步) located in Ang Mo Kio to buy durians knowing that mum loves these fragrant ♨️ or pungent fruits. He passed us three boxes of vacuum-sealed durians.
Musang King (D197) or Mao Shan Wang 🐈👑⛰️ (猫山王) is the undisputed king of durians. It is famous for a perfect balance of deep, robust bitterness and sweet, with a creamy and buttery flavours. The flesh is typically bright yellow and thick. It is the classic choice for those who love traditional, pungent durian notes. A typical characteristic of this breed of durian is the small and flat seeds.
Black Thorn (黑刺) or Duri Hitam (D200): A premium challenger from Penang that frequently rivals or exceeds Musang King in price. It boasts a deep, sunset-orange flesh and an intensely sweet taste followed by a slightly wine-like, bitter finish. The texture is much creamier and slightly firmer. Seeds on the other hand is bigger and roundish which adds up to the overall weight.
Whether Black Thorn (黑刺) is "better" than Musang King (猫山王) depends entirely on your taste. Musang King is superior if you prefer a classic bittersweet profile with small seeds, while Black Thorn wins out if you crave intense sweetness and a creamier, custardy texture at the expense of having bigger seeds.
Pictures credit: Black Thorn and MSW.
