Desert truffles plays important role in Iraqs tradition economy

it's 7 A.M here in Iraq's southern city of smawa time for Rashid and his friends to scout the vast desert looking for something rare and delicious truffles the March is sought after delicacy is fungal plant that usually grows underground during the rainy season it usually grows five to Fifteen centimeters beneath the surface we trace it by indicators such as Telltale Grace and cracks on the soil it's fun for us because besides making money out of it we also end up spending good time with our families and have picnic atmosphere every year between February and March truffle hunters from smawa camp out in the desert to dig out as much of it as they can pneumatic shepherds are no exception Hussein Ali and his family set up their tent around grassy fields for months besides taking care of their sheep and camels they also make living by selling the desert truffles we have inherited the love of tracking and collecting truffle from our ancestors through years we spend most of our life with our sheep and camels in the desert but we wait for the Truffle season every year to collect it sell it and eat it it's blessing from God this is the Truffle Hub in the desert here it is piled sorted packed and sent to the city but since they depend on Heavy Rain to grow some seasons will see little to no truffles the search process can be risky there are wild animals here including wolves and unexploded Ordnance beneath the surface can sometimes be mistaken for truffle in the city's grocery market Traders take pride in their produce Iraq produces two main types of truffle light one and darker one each piece of these can weigh between 30 and 200 grams and one kilogram can cost up to 50 dollars depending on size taste and quality they're costly here not only because of lack of supply but also because of their flavor and aroma some restaurants in smawa serve it as meat substitute desert truffles are high in plant protein similar to tofu and are favorite with vegans and vegetarians but they need to be washed properly desert truffles have new Roots so if they're not collected on time there'll be food for insects but for those who rely on these rare Delicacies they provide much needed income even if it means having to spend long days in the Iraqi desert Southern Iraq