From durians to rambutans and lychees, here's how to pick the best of the bunch

YOU smell them before you see them, a strong, heavy scent that fills the air - distinctive, pungent, almost putrid. The stench of durian is so pervasive the fruits are banned from public transport in Singapore, and some airlines will not ship them on commercial flights.

Considered the 'King of Fruit' by their admirers, and repulsive by their detractors, durians look more like medieval weapons than anything edible. They are yellow to pale green, with hard spikes covering a thick, solid shell. They can weigh up to six kilograms; people have been injured, even killed, by durians falling from trees.

Durians have been in Hong Kong markets for about a month now, imported from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Their fans say they 'taste like heaven and smell like hell'.

If you can ignore the strong odour - which is like a combination of rotting fruit, old rubbish and garlic - and manage to get past the barrier of spikes, you will find a taste that is difficult to describe. A good, perfectly ripe durian has a creamy, custardy texture and a flavour that is warm, complex, rich and sweet.

When buying a durian, carefully inspect the shell for holes, which indicate the presence of worms or vermin. Look for fruit that is light for its size. Shake it gently; you should feel the pods inside move slightly. If you feel vigorous movement, the fruit is overripe or dried out. If you do not feel any movement at all, the fruit is underripe. Perhaps it is best to find a vendor you trust, and let him choose.

Durians are expensive, and the buyer pays for a lot of waste because of the thick shell. The seeds are edible: they can be roasted, boiled or sliced and fried; I tried cooking them once, but the result did not seem worth the trouble.