Durian flowers, an unknown

Many of you know what is durian. Some loves, some hates this unique South East Asia's king of fruit. Some would eat it as a part of dishes on table.

Unknown to most, its flowers are edible and very much a Sarawakian dish. The flowers are nothing like durian; no strong smell or taste at all. Mildly sweet, it is usually cooked with sambal belacan but the indigenous may cook it different, with santan or masak lemak style. Other than tasted it with sambal belacan, I honestly have never tasted durian flowers differently.

It was blooming again few weeks ago and I noticed few ladies collecting durian flowers on roadside when on my way to send Jamie to his kindergarden. 

There is one durian tree, a very healthy durian tree which bears flowers almost twice a year near my place. And whenever it does, you would see some people collecting the yellowish flowers that fall to the side of the road. Rather dangerous actually as the road was narrow and many cars passing along it, including me.

People selling the durian flowers at RM2 per basket. Enough serving for 3  to 4 persons.

So I saw it in the MJC pasar tani one afternoon and I decided to buy a basket. Immediately after I went home, I started cleaning the flowers by separating the flowers and the curly parts. 

Then pick out the pollen from the durian flowers. The pollen contains nectar so it would be sticky on your hands and even more if your hands are wet.

Then wash both the flowers and the curly parts and rinse well. Now they are ready to be cooked!

Ingredients:
Durian flowers, about 200-300g
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, sliced
Belacan, small piece
Dried prawns, a handful
Salt to taste
Water
Cooking oil

Methods:
1. Prepare the durian flowers. Seperate the flower from the curly/roll parts. Pick out and discard the pollen from the flowers. Wash and rinse both flowers and curly/roll parts.
2. In a wok, heat up the oil. Add in garlic and shallot and saute till fragrant.
3. Add in the belacan. Stir fry for few second till fragrant before add in the dried prawns. Mix well.
4. Add in the durian flowers and stir well all the ingredients. Saute for few minutes till the flower soften then add in salt to taste. Dish out and serve.