Looked forward to every spring by connoisseurs across the region' Kuwait's truffle season has kicked into high gear in the truffle souq in Al-Rai. Desert truffles, known locally as fugga. Truffles are grown locally as well as imported from neighboring Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia and prices can rise as high as KD 20 or more for the most popular varieties. The local Zubaidi variety, a white truffle from Kuwait, can run as high as KD 20 per kilo.

Thanks to a very wet fall and winter, the region has enjoyed a strong truffle production this year. Part of the fungi family, truffles are often a key ingredient in popular local dishes like machboos, kabsaand dishes with gravy and onions.

Photos by Joseph Shagra