Four ways to enjoy the taste of truffles in Hong Kong – in claypot rice, dumplings ... and ice cream?
- You don’t need to pay US$109,000, as Hong Kong’s Li family did for a near-1kg fungus, to savour the exotic taste of truffles this season
- Try them in Chinese dishes, unseasonal moon cakes, and even in ice cream
So the Li family of Kowloon Dairy have paid a record US$108,975 for a near-1kg white truffle at an Italian charity auction – wonder what can they do with all that expensive fungus?
We ordinary mortals shouldn’t feel deprived, though – here are four ways to enjoy the exotic treat in Hong Kong.
Li family of Kowloon Dairy fork out record price for white truffle
1. White truffle ice cream
Imagine the deep musky odour of truffles filled with tones of rich, damp mushrooms and maybe a hint of garlic in butter. Now imagine that mixed with the sweet delicate taste of ice cream. Would it work? The only way to know is to try it out at Sabatini Ristorante Italiano at the Royal Garden Hotel, which serves white truffle ice cream with crumbles and shaved white truffle.
2. Truffle dumplings
Xiaolongbao – the famous Shanghainese pork and soup dumplings – are not spared the truffle treatment. While some restaurants have tried infusing the filling with black truffles, others use truffle oil to give the dumplings a touch of the rich fungal flavour in dipping sauces. You can taste truffle-filled dumplings at Din Tai Fung in Tsim Sha Tsui.
3. Black truffle clay pot rice
Clay pot rice is a common winter favourite in southern China, but have you heard of the dish served with truffle? Siu Wah Kitchen in Shau Kei Wan, at the eastern end of Hong Kong Island, has put a new spin on the dish by adding lobster and black truffles.
4. Truffle and egg moon cakes
Mooncake season may have passed, but no one will judge you for wanting to try the eyebrow-raising combination of truffle and egg moon cakes. Bite into one of these and experience morsels of black truffle blended with white truffle oil and white lotus seed paste.
7 places to make the most of white truffle season in Hong Kong
Have some while gazing at the moon if you happen to be staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Central and dining at its Lung King Heen restaurant.
