Alainchi (cardamom)
Alainchi is the large or black cardamom of the eastern Himalaya, the dark, smoke-dried pods of Amomum subulatum. Its camphor-cool, smoky seeds season Himalayan and North Indian cooking and a sweet Nepali lapsi achar.
Mushrooms
Entoloma lividoalbum
A woodland pinkgill reported as local food in Sikkim and parts of Italy, but difficult to identify and subject to strong regional warnings about confusion with toxic Entoloma species.
Identity
Entoloma lividoalbum (Kühner & Romagn.) Kubička is a pink-spored species in Entolomataceae. European accounts place it in woodland soils, often in deciduous settings. Identification relies on more than a photograph. North American records under this name may represent unresolved taxa and do not confirm the European species concept.
Sources for this section
Reported use and season
A Sikkim field survey lists it as Salle Cheu, reports June–August, and gives Sinchel Jungle in Darjeeling and Khichipari in Sikkim. A thesis reports local consumption in the Sikkim Himalaya under Salle chyau. These report local practice, not specimen safety or a recommendation.
A Piemonte regional guide reports local consumption in some contexts but explicitly discourages eating it because of confusion with toxic E. sinuatum and E. rhodopolium sensu lato. No reliable preparation method is established here.
Season and limits
The Sikkim survey gives June–August. Norfolk observation records fall in September and October. These are local observation windows, not a universal fruiting season.
Do not forage, prepare or eat a mushroom based on this page, a common name or a photograph. Local consumption reports do not establish safety; this page provides no field key and does not claim cooking makes a misidentified specimen safe.
Places
Sinchel Jungle
Documented use · Locality evidenceSurvey-reported use, not a safety endorsement.
Khichipari
Documented use · Locality evidenceSpelling follows survey; reported use is not a recommendation.
Sikkim Himalaya
Documented use · Region evidenceThesis reports local consumption; no specific locality or preparation method asserted.
Piemonte
Traditional use · Region evidenceGuide mentions local use but explicitly discourages consumption for safety.
Norfolk
Relationship not established · Region evidenceObservation records only; not evidence of food use.
Related
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Sources
Journal of Mycopathological Research 60(2)Food use · Season · Geography
Edible mushrooms from forests of Sikkim HimalayaLists E. lividoalbum as Salle Cheu; reports June–August and two locality records.
Cited in: Reported use and season; Season and limits
Vidyasagar UniversityFood use
Bioactive polysaccharides from edible mushrooms of Sikkim HimalayaReports local consumption as Salle chyau in Sikkim; no preparation method used here.
Cited in: Reported use and season
Regione PiemonteSafety · Food use
Guida ragionata alla commestibilità dei funghiMentions local use but expressly discourages eating because of confusion with toxic E. sinuatum and E. rhodopolium s.l.
Cited in: Reported use and season; Season and limits
MushroomExpert.comTaxonomy · Limits
Entoloma lividoalbumNorth American records may represent unresolved taxa.
Cited in: Identity
Norfolk Fungus Study GroupSeason · Geography
White-gilled Pinkgill Entoloma lividoalbumReports local September and October observations.
Cited in: Season and limits