Durian has always had a bad rap. It has a very strong odor and formidable thorn-covered husk. It is not quite welcoming to those who have never tried it before. This king of fruits should not be feared, however! Those who love it, really love it, so why not give it a try?

Check out this blog post we wrote a while back on Durian, the King of Fruits. So if you are feeling adventurous, here are some tips how to eat Durian properly:

1. How to open the Durian properly: You must lay paper where you will be working, as things can get messy. Find the natural seams where you will want focus your cutting. Use a long, sharp knife.

2. Make a deep cut into the durian along the seam.

3. It’s time to use your fingers to open up the cut and pry the hull apart. The skin will rip fairly easily. Be careful of the spikes! You should be able to have two halves.

4. You may need to cut into the fibrous center as well to help pull the halved sections apart.

6. Use a spoon or your hands to remove the large pods of fruit.

7. Go ahead and eat!

Don’t forget to wash your hands and mouth properly after you are done eating Durian. They say you can use the empty durian shell and fill the hollow with water. Then use this water to wash your hands and rinse your fingers. It works like magic to kill Durian smell!

Remember, although Durians may smell awful, many say the taste is heavenly. You might even get a chance to try it in Bangkok on the street someday with Taste of Thailand Food Tours!