Hidden Gold in the Himalayas

At Bukhari restaurant - in each of our Bhutanese lodges - a dish starring one of the world's rarest fungi invites guests to savour a story of community, conservation, and mountain ritual.

Open a menu at Bukhari restaurant during your stay at COMO Uma Paro or COMO Uma Punakha in Bhutan, and you might find Chef Tshering Lhaden's signature ‘Yartsa-Guen-Bub'. This traditional Bhutanese dessert is made from fresh milk jelly infused with cordyceps fungus harvested from the Laya Valley, and paired with poached seasonal stone fruit and walnuts. “It's a blend of so many textures and flavours”, says Chef Tshering: “the crunch of nuts pairs beautifully with the velvety creaminess of the jelly, the bright, tart notes of fruit, and the woody earthiness of cordyceps.”

For Chef Tshering, celebrating Bhutan's agricultural heritage is as important as the final plate. The milk is sourced from a nearby farmer; the fruit is seasonal and local. But it is the cordyceps - slender, golden-brown, and almost impossibly rare - that transform the dish into something truly special. “Cordyceps is an ingredient that embodies Bhutan itself: hard-to-find, humble and nourishing,” Chef Tshering continues. “To me, that makes it precious.”

This strand-like fungus isn't just special to Chef Tshering: cordyceps sinensis has been prized in Himalayan culture for centuries. Known locally as ‘yartsa gunbu', and globally as ‘Himalayan gold', this curious ingredient emerges from the larvae of ghost moths, forming clusters of slender stems. Revered for centuries, cordyceps is believed to boost vitality and longevity when used in traditional medicine. Gram for gram, the fungus regularly fetches prices higher than gold.

But its harvest is about much more than transaction; it is a ritual steeped in tradition and community. Cordyceps is only found in high-altitude districts - Paro among them -, and the picking season is only four weeks long. Each May and June, entire communities leave their fields and flock to the high mountains to take advantage of this fleeting opportunity. Camps form, butter lamps strung between tents perched above the cloud line. Harvesters comb the slopes, eyes trained to the faintest trace of cordyceps. “Every tiny stalk is handpicked”, explains Chef Tshering; “the work is tough. But there's a quiet dignity to the harvest; an unspoken agreement that the land must be respected.”

Bhutan's government safeguards the harvest through a careful system of permits and quotas. Only Bhutanese nationals are allowed to pick and sell the fungus, ensuring profits are fed into Bhutanese schools, temples, and household incomes in remote communities. Auction houses provide transparent markets where families sell their harvest for fair prices, often earning a year's income in one season. “Cordyceps isn't just a delicacy,” Chef Tshering says. “It's a shared national treasure; a gift from the mountains, protected by the people.”

In contrast to neighbouring countries, where overharvesting has put the fungus at risk, Bhutan's approach is different: sustainable, patient and near-reverent. “In many ways, this tiny fungus is representative of Bhutan's broader ethos of harmony”, says Chef Tshering: “their harvest is slow, thoughtful, and tightly bound with conservation and culture. When guests bite into my ‘Yartsa-Guen-Bub' dessert, I want them to taste a quiet celebration of that.”

Please contact our concierge teams for more information or to book a stay at COMO Uma Paro or COMO Uma Punakha - with meals at Bukhari restaurant.