Taiwan’s renowned dumpling chain Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) has caused a stir in Singapore recently with a fresh variation of its signature steamed dumplings — truffle xiaolongbao (小籠包).
Introduced in Singapore on Oct. 15, the dumpling, which includes 1.5g of finely minced French black truffles in its filling, is Din Tai Fung’s latest attempt to captivate gourmets in the cosmopolitan city-state.
Joyce Koh (許思妮), senior vice president of brand development in Singapore, said the new xiaolongbao was born two years ago when Din Tai Fung’s head chefs met with French culinary maestro Christian Le Squer, who suggested marrying the classic pork soup dumpling with truffles.
PHOTO: CNA
“What ensued was an intensive [research and development] period in Taiwan, where our chefs developed the technique to craft the truffle xiaolongbao that are perfectly balanced in taste,” she said in a statement.
Though not shown on the menu, the dumplings have been available for the last two years in Taiwan on request. However, they will be part of the menu in Singapore and the restaurant anticipates that Singaporean customers would embrace the dish because of their appreciation for gourmet cuisine.
According to Koh, the truffle dumplings are priced at S$3.20 (US$2.50) each, three times more than a traditional pork dumpling.
To bring out the earthy aroma of the black truffle, each dumpling is steamed 10 seconds longer than its traditional counterparts and Koh advised diners not to dip them in sauces to keep the truffle flavor distinct.
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