A symbiotic mushroom (genus Termitomyces) that grows only on active termite nests — which is why it resists cultivation and commands high prices in Yunnan wet markets. The name
鸡枞 comes from the texture: torn apart, the white flesh is stringy like chicken breast (
鸡). Fried in oil with chili, it yields the famous
油鸡枞, which keeps for months and is sold in jars.
