The Allure Of The Truffle

Foodies and chefs across Indian cities are going crazy over truffles, one of the priciest ingredient you can add to a dish. There's more to it than meets the eye, though.

- Nivedita Jayaram Pawar

Commonly described as earthy with a pungent, musky aroma, truffles have been a culinary delicacy since the ancient Egyptians ate them covered in goose fat and the Greeks and Romans sought them out for their aphrodisiac properties. Today, truffl es are among the most expensive natural ingredients in the world with both foodies and chefs waxing ecstatic over them. “The umami fl avour that mushrooms usually have is heightened in truffl es which make eating an overall sensory experience. It’s called the diamond of the kitchen which is no exaggeration.” says collaborative chef Romina Lugaresi of the Italian restaurant CinCin in Mumbai.

Truffles are a type of fungus that grows underground, they are sometimes foraged by specially trained dogs. White truffle is found around Alba in the Piedmont region of Italy, the black ones are also foraged in Spain and France.

Look Ma there’s a truffle in my dish!