JERTIH: It's durian season and harvest is plentiful this time around, with durian stalls popping up everywhere.
Wanting to be a little bit different, a housewife in Terengganu decided to inject a little creativity in selling the king of fruits.
We've all heard of fried bananas and fried cempedak, and Mariam Che Yusof, 64, from Kampung Balik Bukit, here, decided to experiment with 'durian goreng' (fried durian), to make full use of this year's bountiful harvest in the district.
Initially, Mariam made 'durian goreng' for her neighbours but later on, she began getting orders for events and programmes.
"Insya-Allah, if there are no obstacles, I am interested to get serious in my 'durian goreng' business. But it may just be a seasonal venture because durian is not available all year round," she said.
Mariam said the process of making her 'durian goreng' begins with scooping out the flesh before dipping it in a batter of wheat flour, sugar, salt and a dash of vanilla essence. It is then fried for 15 minutes until it becomes crispy," she said.
"The deliciousness of this 'durian goreng' cannot be denied. It can also be eaten by those who don't like durian because of its smell, because after frying it, the smell goes away," she explained.