Sometimes it’s small things that let you know the world is changing for the better.
Finding frozen Malaysian durian was one of those things. This durian doesn’t care that it was frozen; the texture is the same smooth cream. The flavor is nearly the same. It’s the closest thing to eating fresh durian that you’ll find in the United States. And it’s available in Portland.
Portland is a big city by Oregon standards, but not that big of a city. Yes, its metropolis area holds about half the population of our entire state, but that’s more a reflection of how few people live in the rest of Oregon (not many).
Portland is teeny compared to cities like New York or Los Angeles. Of course they would have Musang King. But Portland? Portland?!
Can I adequately express my excitement?
I mean, I’ve known that Musang King was available in New York since 2013.And last month I discovered that Hawaii Supermarket in Los Angeles was now carrying whole frozen Musang King durians from the Rockman Co. Brand, but since I was in L.A. at the time I didn’t have the chance to taste it for myself and see how Musang King holds up to being frozen and shipped across the ocean.
But durian being available in Portland gives me hope for the rest of American durian lovers that they too will soon find Musang King in their Asian grocery stores.
I almost missed the Malaysian durians. I was in a hurry, and after bee-lining to the freezer section for the standard Thai durians I decided, on a whim, just to swing through the produce section.
The Malaysian durians were sitting out with the rest of the tropical exotics, right between the mangoes and the papayas. They looked small and dark, swaddled in yellow mesh scraps of plastic wrapping.
There was no ice in sight, and the thawing fruits were releasing that weird rubber eraser smell that always seems to emanate from frozen durian shells (what is that? Does anyone else smell it?).
The Musang Kings cost $8.95 per pound, about four times as much as the Monthongs I held in my hand. I set down the Thai fruits and picked up a Malaysian.
They’re small, I reasoned with myself. Then I abandoned the Monthongs to the depths of the freezer.
I recognized the tag on the Musang King as the same brand that is being sold at Hawaii Supermarket in Los Angeles.
The company is Rockman USA, based in Santa Fe Springs, California.
They have a website where you can order various products and durian products — like durian cookies, durian crackers, durian paste and durian flavoring — but it dosen’t mention Musang King.
On their Facebook page I asked them why and whether we’d ever be able to mail-order Musang King, but they didn’t reply. So for now it’s big distributors only, I guess.
I ripped open the netting and examined my durian. The square, blocky spines were soggy and soft, the whole fruit a deeper brown than I was used to.
The stem was a royal mess; bashed and lacerated and gooey from the damage it sustained during it’s oversea travels.
Whether or not it had the classic star used to identify a Musang King was hard to determine because my durian, like all the fruits available (I checked) had begun to split open on it’s own.
I found this a little concerning, since keeping the pod sealed is part of retaining the aroma and the luscious flavor within.
But at least I didn’t need a knife. The soggy shell pulled open easily, revealing a masterpiece.
I couldn’t believe how well it had retained it’s wrinkles. I started salivating. It was hard to have the patience to take pictures for you.
It also answered a question I’ve had mind ever since I purchased a frozen Musang King in Australia, that had pure, snowy white flesh. Could Musang King lose it’s beautiful color in the deep freeze?
When I contacted the company, they assured me that normally frozen Musang King was just as yellow after freezing as before, and that mine was white because it had been in the freezer for over a year. (The company initially offered to replace the durian but then didn’t respond to follow-up messages. So much for that).
But this durian was a satisfying, glowing hue the color of turmeric. As it should be.
I picked up a pod, holding it gingerly between my fingers. It was firm, and disdained to stain my fingers with cream or juice. I’ve eaten Monthong durians that have caused rivulets of durian-smelling, cold water to run down my wrist.
I peeled it open to reveal the slim brown, aborted seed so classic in a Musang King.
The flesh pulled cleanly off the seed so that I held the shiny, fatty hunk of golden Musang King flesh in my fingers.
This was the moment of truth. I took a bite.
It was dense and utterly smooth. Except for the slight chew of the firm skin, the durian had an utterly homogeneously creamy interior. It had no fibers or strings, or the odd bits of rubber that I sometimes encounter in frozen Thai durian. The texture was perfect.
It tasted like chocolate mousse. A solid, satisfying, middle-of-the-road combination of earthy cocoa and sugar. I closed my eyes, and for just a second I was back in Malaysia.
“Ugh, do you smell that?” someone asked nearby. “What is it?”
Nope, not in Malaysia.
Conclusion
This was the best durian I have ever eaten in the United States (not counting Puerto Rico).
Musang King seems to stand up really well to being frozen. The texture and total eating experience was far more similar to consuming it fresh than when eating Thai durians, which tend to be alternatively stringy, lumpy, or too wet when thawed.
This durian resolves the texture turn-off problem for people who like the flavor of durian but can’t get past the truly odd texture of defrosted Thai durians.
And best yet, it still stinks.
Where I Found It
Pacific Supermarket
6750 NE Broadway St, Portland, OR 97213
Tel:(503) 251-0524
Website: pdxpacificmarket.com/
Hours: 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM Daily
Hui Chee Wah says
Hi Lindsay, I’m from Singapore and I absolutely love Durians! I must say I’m a bit surprised to come across your blog on a subject of Durians! And all the more so that you are a Caucasian. We in Asia are used to seeing foreigners (read Caucasians) turning their noses up when there is even a hint of Durian aroma in the air! So glad that this wonderful fruit has found acceptance among your community too! I really admire your passion in all things Durian. Hope to learn more from you in the days, weeks and months to come. I also hope to join you on one of your Durian trips one of these days!
Chee Wah, Hui
Singapore
[email protected] says
Hi Chee Wah, thank you for your comment! Hope to see you on the tours one day 🙂
Ricky says
Whatever it is, the best place to enjoy durians is actually at the durian estate in the country of origin and right after it fell from the tree. If a durian is more than half an hour off the tree, the actual, original taste of the durian is gone.
Whatever durian you eat outside of the estate or plantation is still very good but different.
[email protected] says
True, frozen durian is not as good as fresh, but there is something about the texture of frozen durian that is really really good.
Nguyen Pham says
How you like it comparing to the durians in Puerto Rico? I had chance to try the durians in Pr and it was the best durians I have tried out so far.
[email protected] says
Frozen durian is never as good as a very fresh durian, but some of the durians I had in Puerto Rico were overripe, and in those cases the frozen Musang King is better. It holds up quite nicely to being frozen and retains its texture, unlike frozen Thai durians.
LupiniBean says
Now I just need to find one of these in Michigan!
Lindsay Gasik says
They have them in Ohio — they're probably around somewhere! Will look forward to your report 🙂
Bibi says
Lindsay, thank you so much for your great work and blogging about your journeys into this subject of delectable fruit; I'm not just craving for it, I have an addiction and I can feast on it all day long!!
I wanted to let you know that I contacted the Rockman Co. that you mentioned, they are the Importers of Musang King, and talked to Andy and I was told that it's out of season right now Nov. 2015 and we have to wait till January when he'll know whether they'll get a supply or not!!
Lindsay Gasik says
Hi Bibi,
Thanks for your support! I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one out there with this addiction 🙂
Very cool that you got in touch with Rockman Co and put a name to the institution. I hope they get more and continue to make these fruits available in the US!
David B. says
OK, now I simply must schedule an evening of going from store to store in Seattle's International District looking for Malaysian durian. If it's in Portland (smaller city, lower percentage of Asians), it's *got* to be for sale somewhere in the ID.
Lindsay Gasik says
Hi David, that's what I'm thinking. I mean Portland is a big city, but it's not *that* big. If it's in Portland and L.A. it's gotta be in most big cities now. A friend in Ohio found it there too recently!
Valerie says
Hi David! Did you end up finding it in Seattle? I almost want to drive to Portland 🙂
Kale Tanaka says
Great Post Lindsay! I hope I will be able to find this Frozen Musang King in my local Asian Markets soon! Since I last wrote to you, we moved from the Big Island of Hawaii to Berkeley , CA. I still have my durian plants at home in Kailua-Kona, and appreciate you giving me those seeds last year. I'm counting the years till I can have some home grown Durian of my own. I appreciate all your passion and enthusiasm for this fruit. Keep it up!
Lindsay Gasik says
Hi Kale, thanks for the comment! I hope you will find it soon too! It's such an improvement as far as texture. Good luck with the durian babies!