Funghi

Tuber indicum

C tier

Tuber indicum is the Chinese black truffle complex often exported as an inexpensive lookalike of European winter black. Externally dark and warted, it can fool the eye, but the aroma is typically weaker, more generic mushroom, and sometimes musty. Morphology and genetics separate it from melanosporum; cuisine should treat it as a different, milder product. Acceptable in bulk cooked applications, oils of modest ambition, or training kitchens, but not as a silent substitute for Périgord on a luxury plate. When fresh and well handled it can still add earthy depth to eggs and pasta. Always label honestly—price and scent are the usual tells.