Truffle

Gharch - Danbalan

Gharch-e-Danbalan (Tuber iranicum) is wild mushroom growing in Azerbaijan, Ardebil, and Zanjan provinces of Iran. The exact time when humans got to know the mountain Danbalan mushroom is not known, and the origin of the growth of it has always been mixed with a kind of mystery. Some historians and local communities consider lightning, heat and rain to be involved in the growth of this mushroom, but others consider this mushroom to be the root of the anomaly. It grows at a depth of approximately 30 cm and near the roots of plants during the Winter and spring (November to December and March to April), it has a shape similar to a potato and its size is from a hazelnut to the size of an orange and even larger between 50 to 3400 gr weight. Collectors are found naturally in many temperate regions and are found by trained dogs or pigs. However, most of the local people, based on their experience, are convinced of the growth of this plant after observing the swelling of the soil (rising of the soil surface) and collecting it. Azarbaijan and Ardabil provinces, Mako highlands and Chaldaran plain, Marand, Jolfa, Arsbaran and Yamchi areas, Mughan plain, Poldasht, Zanjan province, Tarm and Khodabande regions are the main places where mountain Danbalan mushroom grow in Iran. In addition, it is possible to harvest different types of this mushrooms in some other regions of Iran in the rainy season. However, several types of truffle mushrooms grow in different regions of Iran. The most types of truffles that are collected in Iran are desert truffles, brown or white, from the genera Terfezia and Tirmania. Danbalan mushrooms are actually the most valuable mushrooms in the world. This mushroom is very nutritious and is mostly used in restaurants, food industry, preparation of various sauces and also in pharmaceuticals. It is interesting to know that this mushroom has a large amount of a strong antioxidant called ergothioneine, which, unlike other antioxidants, is not destroyed in the cooking process. This plant has chemical compounds such as water, Protein, Fat, Sugar and starchy substances, Calcium, Phosphorus, Iron, potassium, Thiamine, Riboflavin and Niacin, The local community are cooked in a traditional way (roasted in oil) and mixing with wheat flour dough and cooked in Tandoor and serving as a bread, some local families are sharing this bread among the neighbouring while preparing it. Unfortunately, because of the climate change, indiscriminate harvesting and destroying of the forests in north and central part of Iran this wild product is going to disappearing.