Durian For Breakfast

When you see at least one durian stall popped up at the street corner in your neighbourhood, you know that the feast of the King of Fruits has officially begun. Durian lovers throng their usual or best durian joints in town to have their fix for the season.

The fruit has a heap of health benefits. Naturally rich in potassium, dietary fibre, iron, Vitamin C and Vitamin B complex, durian is excellent in improving muscle strength and blood pressure, bowel movement and skin health. It also helps the nervous and immune systems, and encourages red blood cell formation. Additionally, it's a great energy booster.

As with everything, moderation is key when it comes to eating durian. The spiky fruit can cause weight gain as calories from a durian can potentially range between 700 and 1400. It also has high sugar content. So that's another thing to consider when gorging on the King of Fruits.

Although I may not be a huge durian fan, I do join the crowd and 'feast' on the fruit my own way. For me, this means spending some good cash on a robust Raja Kunyit, also known as Musang King, and devouring it over a few hours, or days. And that's it; no more durians for me till the next season.

The best way to savour the layers of flavour in this upmarket variety of durian is by eating it on its own at its freshest. Personally, I also like it chilled for a few hours before tucking in. Recently, I've incorporated the pungent fruit into my breakfast of dairy-free oats porridge. The combination resulted in a creamy and filling breakfast that satiated my A.M cravings for something warm and comforting. For some crunch and texture, I've also added buckwheat hearts to the recipe. Other favourite options are toasted almonds and hazelnuts, coconut flakes for a coconut-ty hint. This is a basic recipe for the porridge. You can add more healthful ingredients such as oat bran and dried figs or cranberries to the mix if you like. Here's how I do it!

Ingredients

4 tablespoons rolled oats

1/2 cup unsweetened organic soy or any nut milk of choice

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract Some honey or agave nectar for taste A pinch of sea salt

For the topping;

Fleshy bits from two seeds of durian of choice, chilled

Some buckwheat hearts or toasted almonds

Method

1. Mix oats and milk in a small sauce pan over medium heat for a minute or two.

2. Add in vanilla extract, honey and salt to taste.

3. Serve warm topped with durians and buckwheat.

Written By:

Jay Jayaraj is a freelance journalist/ writer and embroidery artist who is passionate about health, fitness, food, craft, culture and travel. She loves everything homemade and handmade, and currently lives in Kuala Lumpur with her husband.

Read full bio...