Himalayan Gucchi Mushroom Served at the BRICS Leaders' Dinner in New Delhi

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Gucchi Marmik, made with Himalayan morel (gucchi) mushrooms and asparagus, was on the all-vegetarian dinner PM Modi hosted at Bharat Mandapam on 12 September 2026 for the 18th BRICS Summit.
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Gucchi (Morchella esculenta) is a wild morel with a honeycomb-like cap and hollow stem, found in the coniferous forests of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
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It is hard to cultivate commercially, is hand-collected by mountain communities, and is among the costliest mushrooms.

●Event: leaders' dinner hosted by PM Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 12 September 2026 during the 18th BRICS Summit (12-13 Sep)
●Dish: Gucchi Marmik — morels and asparagus with saffron, raisins and almonds; the menu was fully vegetarian
●Scientific name: Morchella esculenta (a morel)
●Appearance: honeycomb-like cap, pale yellow to dark brown; pale, hollow stem
●Found in: coniferous mountain forests of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand
●Not easily mass-cultivated — collected by hand, usually dried for storage; among the most expensive mushrooms
●Nutrition: protein, dietary fibre, antioxidants; reported to contain vitamin D

BRICS

Grouping of major emerging economies; India held the chairship in 2026 and hosted the 18th Summit in New Delhi

Head: Rotating chairship — China takes over for 2027HQ: No permanent secretariat

Wild gucchi grows in the coniferous forests of the western Himalaya, where snowmelt, moisture and temperature swings create the right conditions.

location_onJammu and Kashmirlocation_onHimachal Pradeshlocation_onUttarakhandlocation_onNew Delhi

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Prelims > Species in news / Biodiversity

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★Species-in-news: scientific name and distribution of gucchi

Key Terms

Morel

Edible fungus of genus Morchella with a honeycomb-like cap

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•Gucchi = Morchella esculenta; wild in J&K, HP, Uttarakhand
•Served at 18th BRICS Summit leaders' dinner, Bharat Mandapam, 12 Sep 2026

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•Link gucchi with the western Himalaya, not the Western Ghats or the North-East.

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Himalayan Gucchi Mushroom Served at the BRICS Leaders' Dinner in New Delhi

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Gucchi mushroom was served at the leaders' dinner of the 18th BRICS Summit in 2026. Which country hosted that summit?

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