Milo tarik with durian? Malaysia has officially entered its mad scientist era

 

THE Musang King season has arrived, which means Malaysians everywhere are once again doing what they do best, finding increasingly creative ways to put durian into absolutely everything.

For years, we have witnessed durian ice cream, durian cakes, durian crepes, durian pizza, durian coffee and even durian hotpot.

Somewhere along the way, someone looked at a perfectly innocent dessert and thought, “You know what this needs? More durian.”

Now, thanks to a viral TikTok video, the latest contestant has entered the arena: Milo tarik with durian.

Priced at just RM6, the drink combines two of Malaysia’s greatest loves. On one side, you have Milo tarik, the frothy beverage that has fuelled school sports days, mamak sessions and late-night football discussions for generations.

On the other side, you have Musang King durian, a fruit so beloved that some Malaysians willingly sit in traffic for hours and spend three-figure sums just to get their hands on it.

Naturally, someone eventually decided these two national treasures should meet.

The result is a drink that looks like it was created after a group of friends challenged each other with the phrase: “You won’t dare.”

To be fair, the combination is not entirely ridiculous. Milo is rich, creamy and chocolatey. Durian is rich, creamy and, well, durian.

Both are sweet, both are indulgent and both have a loyal fan base that will defend them with surprising intensity.

In theory, this could be Malaysia’s answer to a gourmet milkshake. In practice, reactions may vary.

For example, netizen Anak sarawak(sarawakian) said he wouldn’t even try it if it was free. A sarcastic RiE 1781 added that the hospital beds are already full.

“Sorry to ask. You don’t get stomach ache?” Azizimay wondered. Not to be outdone by the man, some netizens decided to show off their creativity too. 

“Try Musang King with mountain dew and ketum,” suggested adsxsx while netizen SHOPTIKTOK_TIKTOKSHOP cheekily asked for a durian burger.

Then there was Edfiez_Lo who wanted to combine nescafe, durian and tapai on top. Thankfully, he added at the end that the drinker should also call the ambulance first. 

But perhaps that is what makes Malaysia’s food culture so entertaining. We are a nation that refuses to leave well enough alone.

When other countries invent fusion cuisine, they combine culinary traditions. Malaysians combine whatever happens to be within arm’s reach.

Nasi lemak burger? Sure. Maggi goreng cheese? Why not? Teh tarik boba? Already done. Milo tarik with durian? Welcome aboard.

The most impressive thing might actually be the price. At RM6, the drink costs less than many fancy coffees and roughly the same as a decent plate of nasi lemak. 

In today’s economy, finding Musang King anywhere near that price point feels like discovering a rare Pokémon.

But check out this winning comment from netizen RedDevil07 too.

Of course, the internet has already done what the internet does best: react with a mixture of curiosity, excitement and mild concern.

Because no matter how strange a new food combination sounds, there will always be at least one Malaysian willing to queue up and try it. 

Usually while bringing three friends and filming the entire experience for social media.

So if you have ever wondered what happens when Malaysia’s favourite chocolate malt drink meets its most famous fruit, your answer has arrived.

Whether this becomes the next big food trend or remains a glorious one-off experiment is anyone’s guess.

But one thing is certain: if Milo tarik and durian can coexist in the same cup, perhaps there is hope for national unity after all. —  Focus Malaysia