Sinh Tố Sầu Riêng (Vietnamese Durian Shake)

Sinh Tố Sầu Riêng is a Vietnamese Durian Shake designed to beat the Summer heat! Three star ingredients are blended with milk for an ultra smooth consistency, which makes it perfect when slurping. Learn how to open the fruit up all by yourself so you can indulge in this luxurious fruit drink.

If you love this, try it with avocado!

A drink worth every effort

For anyone who wants to dive deep into authentic Vietnamese cuisine, you can’t skip over Sinh Tố Sầu Riêng. It’s a terrific fruit shake that’s thick and perfectly slurpable for the ultimate sweet treat!

There are some drinks like a refreshing Pennywort Juice (Nước Rau Má) solely designed to bring balance to your body, and then there’s our homemade Durian Shake PACKED with fruity fragrance. The most incredible part? You can add as much durian as you like!

Say goodbye to those orders where you only taste a smidgen of the fruit. As soon as you get your blender out for this version, you’ll never go back!

It’s 100% customizable and you can add however much of each ingredient as you like. But the end result will be the same for all: ultra creamy, light and fluffy sweetness with the signature durian flavor that locals go crazy for!

All about the fruit

What it is

It might be surprising to know that durian is actually known as the ‘King of Fruits’ in some places. They’re hard to miss because there’s no other fruit in the world that has sharp spikes and a smell that evokes fits of love (or hate) in its consumers.

You’ll find them growing on trees in Malaysia and Thailand, where the trees can grow as tall as 50m (164 feet) high. If you ever get a chance to visit these orchards, make sure not to stand underneath a tree because you might end up with a head injury if the spiky fruit falls on you!

Taste

Often thought of as being an acquired taste, the fruit’s flavor is robust and its aromas can be smelt from long distances away when opened. Here are some ways people tend to describe the smell and taste:

• If you love it: Creamy, beautifully sweet and fragrant.
• If you hate it: Like sewerage or rotten onions – a similar sentiment to those who don’t like Bún Mắm (Vietnamese Fermented Fish Noodle Soup).

Despite how people feel about it, there are actually many different breeds with unique flavor profiles. Thai versions are generally sweeter and mushier whereas Malaysian ones have a tighter texture and are stronger in the signature durian flavor – all super delicious!

Health Benefits

Lovers of the fruit will be happy to know that they’re packed with nutrients like vitamin C and potassium. They’re also naturally high in dietry fibre for digestive health and carbohydrates for energy to use throughout the day.

Growing up, my family would often tell me not to eat too much of it because it’ll make my body ‘hot’ (熱氣 yit hei) and I’d need to cool it down by having some Chinese Herbal Tea (涼茶). So whenever I do get the chance to eat the delicious fruit, I make sure to have it in moderation!

How do you pick a good durian?

Each time we go to the Asian supermarket, there will almost always be a nice lady standing outside the fruit shop encouraging passersby to buy a durian. We trust that they know their products best, so we always ask them to choose a good one for us.

They’ll often cut part of the shell open to expose the flesh inside so you get to see what you’re going to be spending your money on. But if that’s not an option, here’s what you can do:

• Scratch the stem. You should be able to easily scratch into a bright green layer underneath, which indicates that it is still fresh.
• Opt for the smaller ones. These will pack more flavor because there are fewer seeds to share the nutrients with. All the nutrients end up getting concentrated into the few seeds inside.
• Check the bottom. Hold the fruit up so you’re looking at its base and make sure it is all still in tact without any openings.
• Give it a smell. Place your nose close to the top and give it a good sniff. You should be able to smell the aromas coming through.
• Go for gold. When open, check that the flesh is a deep yellow. The deeper the color, the riper it is.

What is the easiest way to open one?

Use a large knife like a cleaver to make deep incisions starting from the center. Do so where you notice a bulge when looking from the base. The bulge is where the durian pieces are, so you want to cut where you can open that part up.

Cut deeply enough to break through the thick husk. This will roughly be 2cm (0.8″) deep.

You’ll end up with a star with about 7 points.

Follow one of the star’s points and run the knife along the durian’s length, cutting through the husk until you reach the stem.

Use your hands to open the cut enough to scoop the pieces out, then repeat for all the other points in the star until every piece has been removed.

You can even eat it straight as is or blend it into a delicious Sinh Tố Sầu Riêng!

Why this recipe works

• Opening up your own durian means you’ll get the freshest produce straight from the source.
• Condensed milk keeps the drink sweet and creamy.
• Using milk thins the mixture out just enough for it to be decadently smooth.

What you’ll need

About the ingredients

All of these ingredients can be added to preference. If you prefer the consistency runnier, add more milk. To make it thicker, keep the liquids at a minimum and use more durian.

You can also buy the frozen versions to save yourself from having to cut one open. They’re typically sold in Asian supermarkets in the freezer section.

How to make this recipe

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz everything until it’s blended to your liking.

Serve cold as is!

Recipe FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Freeze the durian. Just like what we do with our mango pieces for pancakes, freezing the fruit will give it creamier when blended. Remember to remove the seed before doing so!
• Use full cream milk. It may be tempting to go for a lighter version, but you’ll get a richer flavor if you go full cream.
• Use fresh ingredients. The fresher, the tastier! It’s always ideal to get the fruit as its peak so you can enjoy the purest taste.

Try these classic Vietnamese desserts

• Kem Chuối (Banana and Coconut Ice Cream) – Perfect for hot weather, the whole family can enjoy these nutty and creamy snacks after a long day.
• Bánh Kẹp (Coconut Pandan Waffles) – Make them fresh for a classic after school snack packed with coconut and pandan flavor.
• Sương Sáo (Grass Jelly) – Incredibly refreshing, there’s nothing better than relaxing with homemade grass jelly and fresh seasonal fruit.
• Chè Trôi Nước (Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls) – You’ll love these dreamy dessert balls smothered in coconut cream and ginger syrup.
• Chè Đậu Trắng (Sticky Rice Pudding with Black Eyed Peas) – This is a family favorite because it’s indulgent, comforting and can be enjoyed hot or cold!

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