Morel Mushrooms / Gucchi Mushrooms

Morel Mushrooms or what are commonly known as Gucchi Mushrooms across the globe are one of the finest varieties of wild mushrooms that grow in the foothills of Himalayas.

Morel Mushrooms have a tremendous medicinal value due to the concentrated presence of Iron, Vitamins D & B apart from their high antioxidant properties. Gucchi Mushrooms also are known to be rich in proteins and other similar body-building nutrients. These Kashmiri Mushrooms are great for building immunity and also strengthening the liver of the human body.  All these give morels a therapeutic nature that helps in reducing the chances of cancer, hypertension, and hyperglycemia.

Rich in taste, and of a musky flavor, gucchi mushrooms cannot be cultivated commercially. The guaranteed natural origin of these mushrooms helps you to take nutrients directly from mother nature. Gucchi Mushrooms are one of the most sought-after edible wild mushrooms in India. Spongy, Savoury, and Honeycombed, it is loved by chefs worldwide. Simply because, no other mushroom beats its taste.

At Kashmirica, we only sell organic and naturally grown morels from the forest areas of Kupwara, Kangan, and Islamabad. Rare in origin, the taste and prices of morel mushrooms have given it the title ‘Cusine of the Royals”.

Health Benefits of Gucchi Mushroom

What are the health benefits of Gucchi Mushrooms? Is it a wild mushroom only good in taste, or does it have any health benefits as well? Gucchi Mushroom benefits are many to count, but

1. They are a very rich source of Vitamin D and as not many foods are naturally rich in this nutrient, guchi mushrooms are very beneficial. They help with the proper absorption of calcium for stronger bones, lower your risk of osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure as well as several other ailments.
2. Morel mushrooms are also quite rich in antioxidants and thus, eating them can keep several diseases as well as health problems at bay by preventing the damage caused by free radicals.
3. Guchi mushrooms also contain several B vitamins including vitamin B6 and riboflavin.
4. Being low on calories and fat, they are also excellent for weight loss.
5. These mushrooms are also a very good source of iron, copper, potassium as well as several vitamins.
6. Since these mushrooms are also a very good source of fiber, they are good for the digestive system, prevent constipation, keep you fuller for longer, and are known to control cholesterol levels.

FAQs on Buying Kashmiri Morel / Gucchi Mushrooms Online

1. What is Gucchi Mushroom?

Popularly known as ‘Morel Mushrooms’ all across the world and Morchella Esculenta scientifically, ‘Gucchi Mushrooms’ are a variety of wild mushrooms found in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir. They are well-known for their super-fine quality, tremendous medicinal values, incredible health benefits and their exorbitant price tag. In fact, the morel mushroom is the most expensive mushroom in India.

2. Where do these Morel mushrooms grow?

These cannot be cultivated commercially and they grow wildly in areas like Jammu and Kashmir, Kangra valley, Manali and some other parts of Himachal Pradesh. Locally, they are known as ‘guchhi’ or ‘gucchi’.

3. What do the Gucchi mushroom look and taste like?

These guchhi mushrooms are spongy and have a pleated honeycomb-like texture. They are light to medium brown in color as they have been dried after procuring.

As for their taste, the Kashmiri morels have a very unique flavor. They have a very rich taste that can be described as musky, smokey or a little woody and nutty. These mushrooms offer its eater the true ‘gourmet’ experience.

4. How to use Guchi mushroom?

There are many ways that this mushroom can be used in cooking. These make an excellent addition to any pulao or you can even make a pulao with only gucchi mushrooms and it will taste incredible.

You can also add it to other rice dishes like biryani. Gucchi mushroom is also commonly added to pastas and risottos. Moreover, you can also make a curry or soup out of it. It can basically be added to any recipe that calls for mushrooms.

The guchi mushroom won’t just add an exotic taste to any dish that you add it to but will also give it a wonderful texture.

So, those who ask us ‘How to use gucchi mushroom?’ have an answer now. Adding, Gucchi Mushrooms just like normal Mushrooms can be used to make a number of dishes. But Gucchi curry and Gucchi Pulao are extremely popular. Chefs in Goa are especially good at cooking Gucchi Mushrooms. You can also find some gucchi mushroom recipes online.

5. What is the Price of Morel Mushroom?

Morel Mushroom prices tend to be on the higher side. Morels tend to be quite expensive and a kilogram of them may cost you as high as Rs. 35,000 or sometimes even more. In simple terms, gucchi mushroom price per kg will be between 30,000 to 40,000 INR. That is the reason morel mushrooms also come in smaller packs consisting of only a few grams of them.

6. Why are Gucchi mushrooms so expensive?

Guchhi is a type of mushroom that grows completely in the wild. There are various reasons that contribute to the high price tag that these Himalayan mushrooms carry.

Apart from their amazing health benefits, unique taste, and texture, Kashmiri morels are also hard to obtain. Since they cannot be commercially cultivated and grow in only specific areas, they sell at a very high price.

Moreover, obtaining these mushrooms is also quite an arduous task. The laborious process begins sometime around March and continues until the end of May. The villagers/ farmers need to begin their search early in the morning and wander through risky areas to find these mushrooms. There is no specific place where the morel mushroom grows as it can grow anywhere in the forests. The mushrooms can grow anywhere and the villagers need to keep a keen eye while looking for them.

All these reasons contribute to a high morel mushroom price.

7. Where can I buy Guchi Mushrooms?

Since it is an exotic ingredient, it is not something that you’ll find at your local grocery store. There are few vendors who sell these mushrooms and to get them easily, it would be best to just buy them online.

However, double-check the website before you buy morel mushrooms online.

8. What is Gucchi Mushroom called in English?

Morel Mushrooms is the English name of Gucchi Mushrooms. There may be more colloquial names given to this form of wild natural mushroom.

9. Can we cultivate Gucchi mushroom?

Gucchi Mushrooms grow in the wild without supervision or effort. And that is why they are so rare and expensive. Gucchi mushroom cultivation is ideally not possible but scientists have been able to produce a small batch of these mushrooms but the technology is still in its infancy right now.

10. Which is the Costliest Mushroom in India?

Himalayan Mushroom and its most famous variant called the Morel or Gucchi Mushrooms are the costliest mushrooms in India. It is a rare breed of mushrooms. Some call it gucchi vegetable or morel vegetable, but it in actuality is a mushroom that grows in the wild.

Why should You Buy Gucchi Mushrooms Online from Kashmirica?

There are many reasons that make Kashmirica the ideal place to buy gucchi mushroom online. Making it easy for you, we will enumerate.

1. Kashmiri morels are known for their incredibly amazing taste and flavor and their many benefits. And we being a Kashmiri brand, will source it right from the origin.
2. Kashmirica, a brand based out of Kashmir, aims to bring to you only the most exclusive goods produced/ harvested, or handcrafted here in the valley. So, be assured, you are getting the best.
3. We offer the finest quality of the most authentic morel mushrooms procured right from the wilderness of Kashmir. These mushrooms are then sun-dried to perfection. There is no chemical treatment involved. This means that these are completely organic mushrooms.

Treat your taste buds with these flavorsome mushrooms – goodness from Kashmir delivered right at your doorstep; it doesn’t get any better than this.