Gucchi Pulao Recipe
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Gucchi Pulao is a delicacy made using long-grain basmati rice, Gucchi mushrooms (morels), and a few spices. It is made in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, where these mushrooms grow. The rice is flavored with just a few ingredients, so the mushrooms’ flavor shines through.
This gluten-free and vegetarian pulao is best served with raita or a mild curry. Here is how to make it at home.
Here are some more pulao recipes that you may like: Peas Pulao, Paneer Pulao, Veg Green Pulao, Chicken Pulao, and Spicy Mutton Pulao.
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Table of Contents
What Is Gucchi
Gucchi (Morel) is a wild mushroom variety that grows in the Himalayas of India and in many other parts of the world.
It is one of the most expensive foods available in the market. They are famous for their rich, nutty, and smoky taste.
These mushrooms have distinctive spongy honeycombed heads. They grow only at high altitudes and best in rain.
It is challenging to grow them commercially. Therefore, they are costly and available in limited quantities.
The interesting thing about these mushrooms is that they are always found in pairs, and they grow under pine trees.
Ingredients
- Gucchi – The grocery shops in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh stock dried Gucci. So if you travel to these states, get back a packet. Otherwise, these mushrooms are readily available online on portals like Amazon.
- Rice – Long-grain basmati rice is used to make this pulao.
- Spices – You will need spices like cumin seeds, cloves (laung), green cardamoms (hari elaichi), black cardamoms (badi elaichi), and cinnamon (dalchini).
- Others – You will also need ghee, onions, and salt. To make this pulao vegan, replace ghee with coconut oil.
How To Make Gucchi Pulao
Step 1: Wash 50 g of Gucci mushrooms thoroughly with water, then soak them in 2 cups of water for 1 hour.
Step 2: Rinse 1 cup of long-grain basmati rice with water and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a pan over medium heat.
Step 4: Squeeze the soaked Gucchi well and add them to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes and remove to a plate. Keep them aside.
Step 5: Add the remaining 2 tablespoon of ghee to the same pan.
Step 6: Add the following ingredients once the ghee is hot, and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 cloves
- 2-3 green cardamoms
- 1 black cardamom
- 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
Step 7: Now, add 1 cup of thinly sliced onions to the pan and saute until they turn light brown, stirring frequently.
Step 8: Drain the rice, then add it to the pan with sauteed Gucchi, 1 teaspoon salt, and the water in which the mushrooms were soaked.
Step 9: Stir gently.
Step 10: Reduce the heat to low.
Step 11: Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed.
Step 12: Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Open the lid and fluff the pulao gently with a fork.
Step 13: Serve hot.
Pro Tips By Neha
While buying gucchi, make sure they are fresh, firm, and dry.
Do not buy soft, spongy, desiccated, or wet gucchi, as it will spoil easily.
The small gucchi mushrooms are better than the large ones.
Wash the dried mushrooms very well. Their tips can have lots of mud, which, if not washed properly, can get into the rice.
Make the pulao using the water in which the gucchi were soaked. It has all its lovely flavors.
You can also stuff the gucchi with a cheese and khoya filling and make a stuffed gucchi pulao.
Other Rice Recipes We Recommend
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Gucchi Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 grams dried Gucchi mushrooms
- 1 cup long-grain basmati rice
- 4 tablespoons ghee (divided)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 whole cloves (laung)
- 2-3 whole green cardamoms (hari elaichi)
- 1 whole black cardamom (badi elaichi)
- 1 inch piece of cinnamon stick (dalchini)
- 1 cup thinly sliced onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash the mushrooms very well with water and soak them in 2 cups of water for an hour.
- Rinse the rice with water and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 30 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium heat.
- Squeeze the soaked Gucchi well and add them to the pan. Saute for 2-3 minutes and remove on a plate. Keep them aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee to the same pan.
- Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamoms, black cardamom, and cinnamon stick, and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.
- Add onions to the pan and saute until they turn light brown in color, stirring frequently.
- Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the pan along with sauteed Gucchi, salt, and the water in which the mushrooms were soaked.
- Stir gently.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook undisturbed for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed.
- Remove the pan from heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Open the lid and fluff the pulao gently with a fork.
- Serve hot.
what do u pair this rice with? any vegetable, salan?
Any raita is best to pair with this.
Posted yesterday but my post seems to have disappeared or not shown up. Morel mushrooms are found all around the world. I hunt them every year when they are in season in the USA. A word of warning though. If you plan on hunting wild mushrooms please study them before eating them. Know what the poisonous ones that closely resemble them look like and such. Morel mushrooms are one of the easiest mushrooms to identify correctly so they are usually the first mushroom people learn to hunt.
Wow Charles. Very good to know that. I always thought these are native to India and surrounding countries.
I pick these growing wild every Spring in Missouri, USA. There are several subspecies that grow here but we call them morels, or morchella. I usually lightly coat with flour, salt and pepper and pan fry in real butter over medium low heat. I still have dozens of dehydrated ones and frozen breaded ones from last year. They go great with venison or beef steak.
Awesome. Great to know that.
Hi Neha,
Do you have any idea if Gucci is available in Dubai. I have never heard of this mushroom But want to try this recipe. Please help…
Hi Divya, I am not sure where will you find these in Dubai. I have heard some top restaurants serving gucchi in their menu. May be you can check with them.