Facts you may not know about Durian Fruit

If you’ve never traveled to Southeast Asia, it’s possible that you have never encountered fresh durian fruit. However, once you have tasted the stinky fruit, it is an experience you are not likely to forget.

It has a unique appearance and an even more memorable smell

Durian fruit is generally slightly oval, about a foot wide and covered in formidable looking spikes. The fruit can weigh between two to seven pounds, and this is heavy enough that in holding it in your hands by the body of the fruit, instead of the stem, it could potentially pierce the skin. However, its otherworldly appearance is dwarfed by another one of its attributes – the smell. Durians have a strong, rank smell that permeates the outer shell and lingers long after the fruit has been removed.

It’s unwelcome on public transport

Due to its overpowering smell, durian has been banned on many types of public transport across Thailand, Japan and Hong Kong. In Singapore, the fruit is banned across all types of public transportation and even taxis have signs to let you know they refuse to carry passengers transporting the smelly fruit.

It’s a superfruit

Despite the stench, durian is extremely healthy, even more so than many other fruits. Naturally rich in iron, vitamin C, and potassium, durian improves muscle strength, skin health and even lowers blood pressure. Furthermore, one small durian contains 23g of dietary fiber which is nearly all of your daily nutritional requirement. However, it is important to not eat them in excess, as in 2010 Malaysian politician Ahmad Lai Bujang was rushed to hospital complaining of breathlessness and dizziness after gorging himself on durian.

There’s more than one type

There are around 30 different varieties of durian. The fruit is native to Malaysia, Indonesia and Borneo however today there are durian farms in Sri Lanka, Southern India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and the southern Chinese island Hainan. Thailand is in fact the biggest exporter of the fruit and home to many durian farms which produce more varieties than the original native locations.

It’s almost impossible to describe the taste and smell

For over a hundred years, travel writers have tried to describe the taste and smell of durian and still we’re nowhere closer to being able to describe it helpfully to someone who has never experienced its unique taste and smell. In 1856, Alfred Russel Wallace sent a letter to Sir William Jackson Hooker describing the fruit as: ‘A rich custard highly flavored with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavor that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes’. Anthony Bourdain, who actually enjoys eating the stinky fruit, colorfully describes the aftermath of eating it: ‘Your breath will smell as if you’d been French-kissing your dead grandmother’.

It inspires architecture

Singapore’s official fruit is the durian. The Esplanade building next to Marina Bay, started as two glass domes but when the design was altered to include covering the buildings with pointed aluminum shades, the buildings took on the appearance of a durian that has been cut in half.

See more: The most unusual fruits you can find in Asia

Source: Internet

How to spend 2 days in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

Brunei’s capital is known for Islamic architecture, the world’s largest floating village and the Gadong Night Market. Discover how to make the most of 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan if you’re a curious tourist.

Day one: Morning

Start the day early and get down to the compact city centre. Most attractions are within walking distance; it’s easy to see the best of the capital in the first morning of your 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan. First, head to Omar Ali Saifuddien, the capital’s most famous mosque. Snap a few photographs of its artificial lagoon and ceremonial royal barge. Next, stroll around the centre in loop ending at the Waterfront. Enjoy the views of the Brunei River and floating village. Piccolo Café sits near the Waterfront, which makes an ideal spot to cool down with a cold drink.

Day one: Afternoon

The sprawling conglomeration of stilted structures in the Brunei River is called Kampong Ayer. Known as the ‘Venice of the East’, it houses more than 13,000 residents. The world’s largest floating village has several villages along with their own mosques, shops and schools. Wooden boardwalks connect the villages above the water as speedboats ferry passengers from one place to the next. Water taxis cost around B$1 ($0.66 USD) from the Waterfront to Kampong Ayer.

Day one: Evening

In the early evening, head to The Mall Gadong. Apart from offering several floors of goods, it also provides an air-conditioned haven to escape from the stifling heat outside. Brunei has lower taxes compared to its neighbours, which makes designer clothes and electronics more affordable. You don’t have to visit the shopping centres on your 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan, but it does offer a window into the pastimes of locals. And you might be able to get that new phone or camera for a fraction of the price elsewhere.

Day two: Morning

Wake up bright and early and either hire a taxi or arrange a private driver from your hotel. First, head to Brunei’s largest mosque, Jame’ Asr Hassanil Bolkiah. Plan to spend 20 or 30 minutes strolling around the outside and snapping photographs. Next, visit Istana Nurul Iman, the Sultan’s official residence. With a total of 1,800 rooms, this is the world’s largest house. Get photographs from the river or at the nearby park.

Day two: Afternoon

At the time of writing in 2018, most of the museums in Brunei are free. This is the perfect excuse to soak up some of the local culture on your 48 hours in Bandar Seri Begawan. First, visit the Royal Regalia Museum in the city centre. This houses all the extravagant gifts given to the Sultan of Brunei in a two-storey, air-conditioned building. Visitors need to remove their shoes at the door and sadly you can’t take pictures. Other worthwhile museums in Bandar Seri Begawan include the colonial Twelve Roofs House and Brunei Museum.

Day two: Evening and night

Save the best for last: witnessing one of Borneo’s famous sunsets. Brunei doesn’t have an international reputation for white-sand beaches, but it does offer a few quiet spots along its South China Sea coastline. Muara Bach lies approximately 30 minutes from the capital by car. You might need to either hire a car or get a driver (there aren’t many buses and they stop running at 6:00 pm). After the sunset, return to the capital and enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants along the Waterfront overlooking Kampong Ayer.

See more: Discover the magnificent Brunei

Source: Internet 

Best hotpot restaurants in Shanghai, China

Shanghai might be considered southern China, but in the depths of winter the chill really sets in. This is when locals make a beeline for hot pot restaurants, where vegetables, thinly-sliced meats and other goodies are cooked in a boiling, soupy brew. Here’s where to find them.

Yan Gege (Yàn gégé, 焱格格)

Prominent Hong Kong actor and animal rights activist Lü Songxian founded this vegetarian Beijing-style hot pot restaurant to show off the beauty of produce and clear vegetable broths. Be sure to try the delicious fresh tofus, and the huge selection of mushrooms that take up a whole portion of the menu and tout various different medicinal curative properties. Also delicious are the crisp lotus roots and egg dumplings.

Hong Chang Xing Mutton Hotpot (Hóng zhǎngxìng, 洪长兴)

It’s impossible to miss the towering blue dome when driving on the Yan’an overpass towards the Bund that marks Shanghai’s oldest halal restaurant. Founded in 1891, this century-old restaurant is a family-owned mutton hot pot restaurant, where you’ll find tables huddled around a bubbling pots of clear broth, heated by a charcoal fire. You’ll dip in an array of thinly-sliced meats, vegetables and tofu for a long and perfectly warming meal. While there are other locations, this is the one where the atmosphere is just as interesting as the food itself.

Elixir Health Pot (Wú lǎo guō, 无老锅)

This hot pot serves soup that you could simply drink straight from the pot, as it’s a bubbling potion touted for its health properties and skin rejuvenation by celebrities across Asia. The white ‘collagen’ pot is particularly wholesome (and delicious), made from pork bones and knuckles that have been simmered for hours, until the resulting soup is thick and fragrant, somewhat akin to tonkatsu ramen broth. Later, Chinese herbs including goji berries, ginseng and other roots are added to impart their curative properties. This is a hot pot that rejuvenates as well as warms the belly. Be sure to order their special house made ‘ice cream’ tofu (bīngqílín dòufu, 冰淇淋豆腐), the light little egg dumplings (dànjiǎo, 蛋饺) and the special mushroom platter (蘑菇拼盘, mógupīnpán) to pair.

Holy Cow

Anthony Zhao, the founder of this hot pot spot, trained in some of Shanghai’s finest dining establishments before he broke off to pay tribute to his native Shanghai cuisine. At Holy Cow, the kitchen serves primo, pesticide-free beef from Dalian and vegetables grown on their own farms. They also serve frozen soup dumplings that go into the hot pot and come out fat and delicious. The soup itself also merits being consumed by itself, as it’s a clear meat consomme that’s bolstered with Chinese herbs. It’s a healthful, flavorful and delicious experience sure to satisfy a crowd.

Hai Di Lao (Hǎidǐ lāo huǒguō, 海底捞火锅)

This particular chain is from Sichuan and has made a killing not only for its spicy hot pot, but also for the service. During peak hours, there will generally be a wait for a table, but the staff will make it worth your while. In the lobby, you’ll find free fruit, manicures, shoe shines and more which will help make the time pass quickly. There are several locations around town – this is one of the more popular.

See more: The signature dishes that define Chinese cuisine

Source: Internet