Durian

About

The durian is known as the "king of fruits", but it’s also one of the most controversial. Native to Southeast Asia (Borneo and Sumatra), this spiky, green fruit has an infamous smell — so pungent that it’s banned on some public transportation and hotels in Singapore and Bangkok! Some describe the scent as rotten onions or gym socks, while others love its rich, custardy flavor with hints of almond and caramel, which shows different species and cultivars vary in aroma. The flesh can be consumed at various stages of ripeness, and it is used to flavour a wide variety of sweet desserts and savoury dishes in Southeast Asian cuisines.