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Guchi Mushroom-A rare & most expensive mountain gold

Gucchi Mushroom-A rare & most expensive mountain gold

 

What is Gucchi Mushroom?

Gucchi Mushroom is a Himalayan delicacy and one of the rare and most expensive wild edible mushroom that  mainly grow in the dense conifer forest of Himalayan foothills (elevation 2500-3500mtr)  in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir & Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh when snow starts to melts on the mountains in the spring season of March to May. Gucchi mushroom is known for its gastronomic & gourmet delights as well as its excellent taste.

  • Due to very rare & most expensive edible mushroom (Price Usually between Rs 30,000 – 50,000 per kg)  , it is usually referred as “Mountain Gold” .  It is prized for its Unique flavor , spongy nature  &  Honey comb texture.
Common name of Gucchi Mushroom:-

Gucchi mushroom commonly knows as Black Morel mushroom or Sponge mushroom in India. In Doda district of Jammu & Kashmir it is commonly known as “Thunthoo(ठुन्थु)” & In Kashmir it is known as “Kani ghitch or Kanegeich “. Its scientific name is Morchella Esculenta which belong to the fungi family. Gucchi mushroom is one of the most sought after edible mushroom. 

Physical appearance & Flavor profile of Gucchi Mushroom:-

Physical appearance:- The Gucchi mushroom are cylindrical in shape with pileus at the top. The pileus that weighs approx 70-80% of its total weight and its bottom part that is called stalk weights around 20-30% of its total weights. Gucchi mushroom has honey comb structure with a leathery texture of dark brown tinge.

‘pic source:-https://www.indiamart.com/proddetail/yellow-morel-gucchi-mushroom-21519706148.html

  • Caps:- Gucchi mushroom has distinct pitted caps with an irregular honeycombed or sponge like looks. Yellow morel have pale yellow ridges with darker pits whereas Black morel have dark ridges with paler pits. Its caps can be conical  & spherical shapes with round top. 
  • Stem:-Its stem are cylindrical in shape but hollow or unpitted from inside. The color can be whitish or creamy color.  When sliced the whole gucchi mushroom, both the cap & stem are hollow or empty from inside which is a defining feature of true morel.
  • Size:-The height of Gucchi mushroom ranges from 1 inch to 4 inch (04cm to 15cm) depending on its variety. The width of the cap can be in the size between 2cm to 5cm ( 0.8inch to 2 inch).
  • Color:- Its color vary from pale grey to brownish grey as they grow and raised on a large white stem. When dried , its color tends to be darken and its texture will become brittle. Rehydrating the dried mushroom will give it a spongy texture and deepens its earthy aroma.

Flavor:- Gucchi mushroom has rich, earth & smoky flavor with meaty texture. When dried mushroom is re-hydrated in Hot water , it gives deep Umami flavor. Its texture is firm and almost meaty , making it a good substitute for meat in vegetarian dishes.

                                                                            Picture of dried Gucchi Mushroom

 

pic source:-https://jammubasket.com/p/buy/jammu-gucchi-morel-mashroom-100-gm/online/1557/

Where it is grow:- 

Gucchi mushroom mainly grow naturally in wild in the dense conifer forest of Himalayan foothills (elevation 2500-3500mtr)  in Doda, Pooch, Kistwar, Ramban, Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir & Chamba, Manali, Kullu, Sirmaur & Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh & hilly area of Uttarakhand when snow starts to melts on the mountains in the spring season of March to May. 

  • This mushroom grow in moist, well-drained soil under coniferous trees like Pine tree & Deodar tree. The growing season is very short mainly in the spring season between March to May depending on the weather conditions & altitude. The fresh mushroom will only be available during the period between early April to Mid May  month and the rest time it will be available only in dried form or frozen form in the market. 
  • Gucchi Mushroom may or may not grow in the same place in the next season. 
  • As per the J&K Agriculture officials, Gucchi Mushroom is not a cultivated but grows on its own at the tree line of Himalayas. There is no standard technique as of date to cultivate it.

 

GI Tagging to Gucchi Mushroom:-

After the announcement of GI Tagging to Saffron of Jammu & Kashmir, The J&K Govt has applied for GI Tagging to Doda Gucchi mushroom through Great Mission Group consultancy (GMG Consultancy) in the year 2021 and its status of awarding the GI Tagging to Doda Gucchi Mushroom is still under consideration as on dated 21st May 2024 as per the official website of Intellectual property India (https://search.ipindia.gov.in/GIRPublic/Application/Details/737)

 

Preparation Tips for Gucchi Mushroom

The best quality of fresh Gucchi mushroom is always be firm and dry to touch. Bigger size of Gucchi mushroom will be more spongier than small size of mushroom. 

Cleaning of Gucchi mushroom:- Since Gucchi mushroom is very delicate, it is advised to use soft brush or damp cloth to clean it or to remove soil & dust from it. If mushroom is very soily or dirty, it should be quickly rinse under cold running water.

  • It should always be washed properly to remove soil & dust once picked freshly from the ground and then it is allow to dried in the sun properly. It is extensively used in the Kashmiri cuisine as a meat alternative for dishes like Rogan Josh, Kashmiri Yakini pulao.

Soaking of dried Gucchi mushroom:- If gucchi mushroom is used in dried, it should be soaked in warm water for around 10-15 minutes until it is soft.

 

Storing of Gucchi Mushroom 

  • Storing fresh Gucchi mushroom:– Gucchi mushroom needs to be store very carefully due to delicate & expensive. The best to store the fresh Gucchi mushroom after loosing wrapping it in paper bag or paper & keep it in refrigerator as soon as possible. It can be stay afresh for upto 3 to 5 days when store correctly. Note:- Fresh gucchi mushroom should not be kept in plastic bag. It should not be washed before storing because excess moisture can spoil it. 
  • Storing dried Gucchi mushroom:-Dried Gucchi mushroom should be stored in airtight container to retain its flavor. The container must be kept in cool dark place & away from direct sun light. If stored properly, dried Gucchi mushroom can have shelf life of at least 01 year.  For longer shelf life, it is always advisable to sun dry it and store in air tight container. 

 

 Cooking tips & Culinary Use of Gucchi mushroom

  • The rich umami flavor of the Gucchi mushroom can be enhanced if it is cooked in Butter or Ghee with garlic & fresh herbs and then added in the dish. 
  • It is used for its distinct flavor with earthy & nutty taste to elevate the flavor of various food items such as soup, sauce & stews, stirfried dishes and even Rice dishes like Risottos,Pulao & Biryani.
  • It goes well with creamy sauce or white wine based sauce.
  • Stuffing:- Gucchi mushroom can be stuffed with meat items, cheese & nuts etc for preparation of various Indian snacks or main course.

Note:-Since Gucchi mushroom is a wild fungus, it is recommended to not to consume raw in form as it may cause stomach ache.

 

Some of the most popular Gucchi mushroom dishes:-

  • Gucchi Chaman (Kashmiri morels cooked in traditional Kashmiri curd-based gravy with Indian spices and herbs)
  • Gucchi Fatimi ((Kashmiri morels cooked in traditional Awadhi style)
  • Badami Gucchi Pasanda (Kashmiri morels finished in light almond flavored gravy)
  • Gucchi Ganderi (Sugarcane skewered smoked Kashmiri morels and poppy seeds mince)
  • Gucchi Moilee(Kashmiri morels finished in sweet and spicy south Indian coconut curry)
  • Pearl Gucchi soup (An exotic clear soup made with pearl millet, Kashmiri morels and vegetables, garnished with Kashmiri morels and puffed millet)
  • Gucchi Bahar (Khoya and Indian spices stuffed Kashmiri morels finished in saffron Indian gravy)
  • Gucchi Pasanda(Kashmiri morels finished in light almond flavored Indian gravy)
  • Gucchi Pulao (Fragrant basmati rice cooked with Kashmiri morels and dry fruits)
  • Gucchi kangni malai roll (Fresh Kashmiri morels stuffed with khoya, foxtail millet, and Indian, herbs, cooked in tandoor with makhani gravy)
  • Gucchi Siddampukht(Kashmiri morels cooked in Awadhi rich gravy)
  • Gucchi Shogayaki (Indian style Kashmiri morels, mushroom, asparagus and spring onion tossed in shogayaki sauce)
  • Gucchi makhani Jhalfrezi (Kashmiri morels and a variety of pepper juliennes, tossed in Indian tomato gravy)
  • Gucchi Ganderi (Sugarcane skewered smoked Kashmiri morels and poppy seeds mince)
  • Gucchi Hazratmahal (Kashmiri morels simmered in a smooth gravy of tomato & cream)
  • Kesari gucchi curry (Kashmiri morels simmered in satin smooth saffron Indian curry)
  • Gucchi Chettinad(kashmiri morels simmered in traditional Chettinad style)
  • Gucchi Makhmali (Kashmiri morel cooked in traditional tomato based satin smooth gravy)
  • Nizami Gucchi Matar (Indian royal mushrooms in peas and cashew nut sauce)
  • Allepey Gucchi Curry (morrels cooked in southern spices with coconut milk and tamarind)
  • Gucchi subz-e-zar (Morels stuffed with clotted cream and green herbs, tossed with spring onions & finished on dum-ginger juliennes)
  • Gucchi Kundan Kaliyan (morrels cooked in gravy made up of onions yoghurt turmeric & saffron)
  • Nawabi Gucchi matar (royal mushrooms & peas cooked in masala onion tomato gravy)

 

Health benefit of Gucchi Mushroom

Gucchi Mushroom has several health benefits, Example of some of the most important health benefit of Guchhi Mushroom are:-

  • Gucchi mushroom is packed with several essential nutrients such as Vitamin D, Vitamin B1,B2 & B3, Minerals like Magnesium, Potassium, Iron, Zinc & Copper.
  • Gucchi mushroom provide high amount of Vitamin D as compare to other edible mushroom. Approx. 206 IU or 34% of our RDA are found in 100gms of raw gucchi mushroom.
  • It is low in Carbohydrate, calories & sodium. It is fat free & Cholesterol free food.
  • Gucchi mushroom can decrease the risk of cancer especially Prostate cancer due to high level of selenium & niacin.
  • Gucchi mushroom has potential to prevent heart disease as it increased the level of HDL Cholesterol (good cholesterol) & reduce the level of LDL Cholesterol (Bad cholesterol).
  • It has antioxidant & anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Gucchi mushroom can reduce the amount of free radicals in our body.

 

Some of the most popular brand of Gucchi Mushroom available in online market are:-

Shroom Boost Guchchi Mushroom Kashmiri Morel Mushrooms

https://amzn.to/3ZYgnmt

Mushroom Essence Morel Mushroom Dried Wild Harvested Delicacy

https://amzn.to/407fVCx

Voila Gucchi Dried Kashmiri Morel Mushroom 

https://amzn.to/4eDXKsw

La Casa Sundried Kashmiri Morel Mushroom 

https://amzn.to/401Kedt

Alif Himalayan, Kashmiri Morel Mushrooms

https://amzn.to/483RuaN

Urban Platter Dried Large Himalayan Morel Mushrooms

https://amzn.to/400SfPW

 

Himalayankart Wild Bhaderwahi Morel Mushrooms Gucchi 

https://amzn.to/3YjHreE

DHRUV De Luxe Dried Stemless Morel Mushrooms

https://amzn.to/3BGo5Y9

M&M Dried Morels Mushroom

https://amzn.to/3U7q1Q1

GAMIT Dried Morels Mushroom 25 gm

https://amzn.to/4h4mKL6

 

 

Content Reference:-

  • The above content has been compiled after referring various culinary books, Research Papers, Research articles, Food magazines, news papers, top culinary websites, Govt websites, personal interaction with renowned chefs from various hotel brands like The Ashok Group of hotel, ITC, Oberai, Leela, Park Hotels & various IHM Faculties, Nutritionists etc. & many  more. The picture which i have used has been taken from the open source website .Some of the important website referred for the above content are:- 

 

Author: chef radhe
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