I’ve probably said this before but we Malaysians tend to be durian snobs – those of us living overseas buy frozen Thai Mornthong durian out of necessity and desperation because they’re cheap and readily available – and then moan about how tasteless and soggy they are compared to fresh Musang King or XO and all the other varieties of durian that the rest of the world is generally clueless about.
Personally, I find frozen Thai durian great for use in recipes – I’ve used it in durian smoothies, durian ice cream, durian kaya, prawn durian sambal (don’t knock it till you’ve tried it) etc.
More recently, I’ve tried it in jemput-jemput durian (where it’s mashed up with flour, baking powder and sugar, then deep-fried) but I decided I actually prefer having the durian pulp dipped into batter, then deep-fried, so that it’s like biting into durian-filled puffs, rather than having it all stirred into the batter.
Durian-filled Puffs (Durian Fritters)
INGREDIENTS:
500g durian pulp
4 TBSP sugar
½ cup rice flour
½ cup self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Enough water to make a batter that will coat the back of a spoon
Oil for deep-frying
METHOD:
- Combine durian and sugar in a saucepan (preferably non-stick) and cook on low heat until thickened into a paste. Allow to cool.
- Combine the flours, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add water to make a thick batter.
- Heat oil to about 180’C. Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, drop a dollop of durian paste into the batter, coat well, then transfer into oil. Fry until a golden brown colour – you’ll need to use a wooden spoon or ladle to turn it occasionally to ensure even cooking; this should only take a couple of minutes.
- Remove and drain on paper towels. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
