Singapore's got its durian chiffon cake and durian pudding, and Thailand has its durian chips, sticky rice with durian and durian candies.

Indonesians mainly like durian drinks, but at Noodle Cafe in Blok M in Jakarta, you can get a Bt100 plate of durian fried rice. It's the only place on the planet that combines the fruit with traditional nasi goreng.

Such a hybrid would be obnoxiously smelly, you might presume, but that's not the case. While the durian pulp remains crisp and creamy, the aroma is subdued by the heat of the goreng.

Nor, fortunately, does this dish involve any sweet soy sauce - ketup manis, as they call it - as is used in conventional nasi goreng. And it's delicious - anak!

Indonesian passion for this indigenous fruit of Thailand has a long history. It's been claimed that King Rama IV took durians with him as gifts for his hosts when he first visited the island of Java in 1871. The Indonesians fell in love with the Thai offering.

Of course Sumatra has its own small and odorous durians, best eaten as soon as they fall from the tree. They have huge seeds and a sweet and creamy meat. Sumatrans mix the pulp with freshly cooked rice in much the same way we mix fish sauce with our rice.

In Indonesia, Thais can note with pride, the name "Bangkok" is considered a brand name. It's synonymous with good taste and high quality. The big supermarkets are well stocked with products made in Thailand, such as jasmine rice and tropical fruit.

For decades Indonesia's well-to-do businessmen have relied on the stamina drink Krathing Daeng, and golfers believe they play better with a bottle of M-150. Whatever the claims, the Thai energy-drink phenomenon continues there unabated, with plenty of varieties imported from Thailand.

A decade ago there were a few Thai restaurants in Indonesia - the world's fourth-largest country - even though supermarkets like Hero sold Thai durian and jasmine rice. Now there are at least 50.

The price of Thai foodstuffs and products is steep. A 1.5-kilogram durian can cost Bt500. Yet as soon as a fresh shipment arrives, an elaborate display appears in front of every supermarket.

Kemchick, a high-end supermarket in Kamang district frequented by expatriates and well-off Indonesians, used to stock durian freshly flown in from Bangkok.

When Thai International Airlines began flying to Jakarta in the early 1960s, it bought not only passengers but a large number of "Bangkok Ayam" - fighting cocks. These too were considered the best in the world, with deadly bills, inborn aggression and durability.

It's taken another two decades for Thais to get used to Indonesian products carrying the Ayam brand, items like canned sardines in tomato sauce. Thais discovered the brand while working alongside Indonesians in the Middle East during the '70s.

It's a bit sad that Indonesian food has never caught on in Thailand. Grilled chicken with spices could be popular here. Chilli-based sambal could be substituted for nam phrik without difficulty. But there are only a few Indonesian restaurants in Bangkok and Pattaya, and only expatriates and tourists eat there.

In fact, Indonesia's influence on Thai cooking - think of vegetable curry and the use of fresh herbs - must not be understated. As Thai food finds its way abroad, so the Thai palate should be more cosmopolitan.

Cookman Redux

The Nation