Mumbai chefs on how to pair truffle with Indian cuisine, and our guide on where to find it

After a two-pound truffle recently sold for almost $118,000 in Italy, city chefs decode the uber-luxe cousin of the mushroom, and how it can be paired with Indian cuisine. Plus, a round-up of where to indulge in the fragrant fungi

It’s not a mere truffle. Weighing two pounds, an Italian truffle on Sunday fetched a whopping 103,000 Euros ($117,795.64 USD) at the 21st World White Truffle Auction in Alba, a town in Italy’s Piedmont region. Piedmont is known as the country’s white truffle producer, where the sought-after mushrooms are foraged from forests, as opposed to their cousin, black truffles, which can be cultivated. Seasonal, difficult to farm, and with a short shelf life, truffles — boasting of a unique earthy aroma and nutty, oaky flavour — are one of the most-prized ingredients in the world.

Truffle biryani by Charcoal Eats

Exotic and expensive

The most popular variants of truffles, points out Prashant Issar, creator and co-founder, Ishaara, are black winter truffles from France that are relatively subtle in flavour, which is enhanced by gentle cooking, and white truffles from Italy that pack in a strong, pungent aroma, and are usually used as shavings. “Truffles are rare and difficult to farm. To grow them, one will need to plant a deciduous forest and wait for about 10 years to harvest,” he reveals, while Hiren Kumar, executive chef, Saltt, Karjat, adds that what further exoticises wild truffles is the fact that they’re foraged from forests with the help of trained hound dogs.

Truffle oil-infused cream cheese encased in smoked mushroom dust by ttttapas

Chef Mikhail Shahani, co-head-culinary at Charcoal Eats, shares that across the world, there are specialised purveyors who source truffles for high-end restaurants. “In India, in most cases, where chefs want to bring out the flavour of truffle, they use truffle oil, which is strong and sparingly used; added raw, the mushroom, otherwise, can be really mild,” he explains, adding that there are artificial truffle oils which are cheaper, while oils extracted from truffles are priced above 500-600 Euros/litre. 

Desi spin

Truffle pav bhaji by Ishaara

Widely popular in European preparations such as risottos, pastas and pizzas, the desi palate is still warming up to the use of truffles in Indian cooking. Inspired by his experience with using truffles in Italian fare at a previous restaurant, Shahani introduced the fragrant fungi in biryani earlier this year. “You can’t use truffle with just about any biryani or any dish that has 20 other spices. In Indian food, you have to be careful with what ingredients you’re using truffle or truffle oil with because the flavour is sophisticated and delicate. It will work well with Afghani seekh, malai tikka or cashew-based chicken curry,” he suggests, adding, “Truffle shavings will be super mild, and might get lost in, say, a curry that already has a ginger, garlic or tomato base. Other ingredients like garlic have to be toned down to ensure the truffle is the star.”

Prashant Issar and Chef Mikhail Shahani

Issar, whose restaurant offers a buttery pav bhaji with truffle butter, explains they incorporated it because of the creamy nature of the bhaji. “In India, we use a lot of cream and butters, so we can use truffles to enhance and at times alter the flavour profile. Truffle paste, butter or oil can be incorporated into a korma at the end. One can shave white truffle over it, too, ideally at the table. It’s more of a price decision as generally, two to four shavings will weigh 1 gm and can add R300-R400 per gm to the price of the dish,” he tells us, adding that porcini mushroom-infused oil is a worthy substitute that’s gaining popularity.

Chef Hiren Kumar

Kumar, meanwhile, also suggests using truffles in biryani, as well as stews from Nizami and Peshawari cuisines. “You can also make a bharwan gucci [Indian variety] ka salan, junglee maans aur shalgam stew with truffle butter, truffle kulcha and naan tokri,” he advises. Among other desi crossovers, Shahani reveals they’re working on a special menu, which will feature dishes such as truffle malai paneer sheek and Afghani chicken sheek with truffle tapenade. His final tip for truffle-lovers: Make a garlic naan, smear store-bought mascarpone and drizzle truffle oil on top. Sounds good?

Truffle in the city

>>Shilpa Gupta who runs ttttapas makes a mean yoghurt-based truffle oil-infused cream cheese encased in smoked mushroom dust, apart from edamame truffle pistachio cream cheese.
Call: 9321995616
Log on to: @ttttapas on Instagram
Cost: Rs 550 and Rs 600

>> Chef Roberto Zorzoli has picked up fine black and white truffles from Italy to curate a limited-edition menu comprising polenta, spaghetti, funghi e tartufo, among other dishes.
At: JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar, Andheri
Call: 68828888
Cost: A la carte

>> Dip into truffle butter pav bhaji.
At: Ishaara, third floor, no 462, Palladium Mall, High Street Phoenix, Lower Parel
Call: 8657531988
Cost: Rs 420

>> Grab a plate of truffle fries with cajun mayo and tomato jam.
At: The Table, Kalapesi Trust Building, CS Maharishi Marg, Colaba
Call: 22825000
Cost: Rs 585

>> Enjoy truffle biryani by Charcoal Eats.
Cost: Rs 449
Log on to: charcoaleats.com

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